


Bittersweet

by Serketchaos



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Importance of Friendship, M/M, Unrequited Love, does not take BOO into consideration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-28 20:22:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 46,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2745749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serketchaos/pseuds/Serketchaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>It's hard watching someone you love, love someone else. </i>
</p><p>Very, very, VERY slow updates. I'm talking like. Months, bro. Like. 8 of them at least.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this fic way before BOO came out and so it does not take it into consideration.
> 
> Also, this was supposed to be a really long one shot but i thought uploading it into sections would be better.  
> Hopefully uploading this will prompt me to finish this fic! I mean, i'm going to finish it but, i havent been writing for it in months…. whoops.

Jason's not sure how living with Nico became a reality. He thinks it might have been after the Cyclops incident, but before he and Piper broke up. Yeah, definitely before he and Piper broke up because he remembers Nico more or less kicking down the door to his room to inform him that they were going to watch a movie. He remembers it so clearly because-- well, besides the obvious part about the break up being tough-- he'd not even told Nico he and Piper had broken up. He'd just known.

Then again, he supposes Nico has always noticed these sorts of things.

Nico had uncomfortably crossed his arms, and avoided Jason's eyes on him after his little outburst. As awful as Jason was feeling, he managed a smile for Nico and told him he thought a movie would be a great idea.

Nico had thrown some cheesy, feel-good, romance comedy movie into the DVD player, popped some popcorn, and after a minute of deliberation, broke out the booze. They'd drank enough to be a bit tipsy, but nothing more than that. Jason didn't want to be nursing both a broken heart and a hangover in the morning.

Nico had been a ball of uncomfortable demigod as they watch the first bit of the movie. His usual way of giving comfort had always been to sit and listen quietly, but Jason hadn't been in the mood to talk which left Nico up creek and without a paddle. 

It had been about half an hour of this painfully tense movie watching experience when Nico finally decided to start a conversation rather than end it. Jason hadn't had much to say, but Nico did. As it turned out, he was quite the movie critic.

Nico had shown his Italian roots by throwing his hands around this way and that way in quick motions as he went on about how these people in this movie didn't know a thing about each other but claimed to be in love. He commented on all the convenient coincidences that happened again and again to these two, and noted that, Gods, if people in real life suddenly had their kind of luck there would probably be a breaking news story about it. 

_"People are turning over rocks and finding fifty dollar bills under them!"_ Nico had said, mocking the seven-am news anchor. _"Yet another lottery winner claims that the numbers just: 'came to them in a dream'!"_

Jason had laughed at that. Really laughed and it was the best he'd felt all night. Nico wasn't going anywhere near the break-up topic, and Jason appreciated it. Later he would talk to Nico about it, but in that moment all he needed was a distraction and good company.

In all truth, Jason had seen the breakup coming. It wasn't that they didn't still like each other, they did, but it wasn't the same. It was like, with everything that had been going on at the time, they'd held tight to each other, needing some sort of normalcy. Then, when it was all over, they didn't need each other like that any longer. Jason had been trying to keep their relationship afloat, but maybe he'd been trying too hard and that was the problem. 

Something about if you love someone set them free and not trying too hard to coax them back when they were never yours.

Piper had iris messaged him not even a full twenty-four hours ago and let the hammer drop. He'd said he understood and he did, but that didn't keep it from hurting. He just kept thinking if they'd had a little more time he could have fixed their relationship, but Piper said they'd been dragging this out long enough. It was time to end it.

Jason could only sigh and agree, because who would he be to keep her in a relationship she no longer wanted, and if he was being honest with himself, one he no longer wanted either? They'd said they'd still be friends, and Jason just had to accept that as being enough.

"You have a Hero Complex," Nico would later tell him. "You want to fix things and people even when it's impossible."

Jason had opened his mouth to argue, but Nico gave him a single sharp stare and the words had died on his tongue. He'd wanted to say something about how that wasn't true, how Nico wasn't impossible to fix-- that he didn't even need fixing!-- but he'd just be proving Nico's point. Besides, Nico will be Nico and he won't listen to positive things about himself when he's not in the mood. He's never in the mood, but this isn't the heart of the matter. 

The point is that Jason remembers this moment at the end of the movie where Nico had pulled his long skinny legs up to his chest, watching with rapt attention. Nico had caught Jason looking and defended himself saying that, no, he was not getting into the movie, nor did he particularly care about any of the characters. Jason found that a little hard to believe considering Nico looked a little teary eye'd and didn't once tear his gaze away from the TV.

While Jason might not remember how living with Nico came to be, he remembers thinking that night that he was glad for whatever happened that allowed this to be.

* * *

Jason's flipping through the yellow pages in the phone book when Nico walks out of the side of the fridge. 

It had been startling at one point, how Nico just appeared, so much so that Jason had considered putting a bell around the boys neck the third time he'd nearly barbecued him with a lightning bolt. Thankfully that's not the case anymore. He's found that there was a certain weight that came over the room whenever Nico's about to appear, and a certain lightness when he's about to leave. It's virtually impossible to sense unless you're as attuned to it as he is.

"Did you want to order in?" Jason asks without looking up.

"What were you thinking?"

"Chinese."

"As long as it's not that last place you ordered from." Nico sniffs disdainfully and says, "They should have named it Double Greasiness." 

Jason laughs quietly to himself. "Do you have a better suggestion?"

Nico comes to stand beside him, pulling the phone book away, muttering a quick, "Give it here," and even remembering to tack on a "please," onto the end of it. Jason only rolls his eyes. Nico might come off a rude, but he never forgets to say please and thank you.

Nico hum's and ha's for a minute or two flipping through the pages. His dyslexia makes him slow at wades through the sheer number of ads for things that are definitely not Chinese take out places, but eventually he waves Jason back over.

"The something Crow?" Jason asks, squinting in a vain attempt to make the letters make sense.

"I'm pretty sure it says The Golden Crown." 

Oh. "Is it any good?"

"No clue," Nico says, shoving the book towards Jason; his way of telling Jason he was still in charge of calling. "But it had a nice looking ad."

Jason rolls his eyes, but take the phonebook and heads over towards the landline. He dials the wrong number three times and then Nico has to read the number to him. Twice; because he too mixes up the 6 and the 9.

Jason doesn't need to hear the menu get rattled off to him, because most Chinese restaurants sell the same things anyway. Nine out of ten times if you ask for chow mein they have it because its not like people ever get adventurous with their Chinese food. In the end its just a matter of finding a place that's half decent. 

With how often they order in you would think they would have found an acceptable Chinese place by now, but you'd be wrong. Jason, however, is determined to remain hopeful. Part of him is making it his goal to find the best dinners to order from for all cuisine types-- which is pretty challenging considering they don't bother with the places trying to pass their food off as Greek nor do they bother with any Italian places that Nico hasn't hand picked.

The reason they order in so often is because neither of them can cook. Jason is admittedly better than Nico, but its not hard to be better than him. The only things Nico can cook, if Jason's lenient with the word, are the ones that need to be put in the microwave for up to five minutes. Even then, Nico's success rate is pretty low. If Jason remembers correctly, and he does, the last thing Nico tried to microwave exploded.

So, Jason orders enough to have for leftovers to save them both anything that might be remotely considered cooking, and makes a mental note not to let Nico heat it up.

By the time he gets off the phone Nico has disappeared, probably to take a shower like he always does when he gets home.

Jason clears the coffee table in front of the TV of the cups they've yet to throw in the sink, and moves the remotes to the end table. He digs out a fork and knife for Nico because try as he might Nico always ends up skewering everything on his plate. How he hasn't managed to pick up the trick to chopsticks yet is a mystery.

With all that taken care of, Jason has nothing more to do than to wait. He seats himself in his usual spot, the left, on their old and beaten second-hand couch that has a slight tear on the right arm that just appeared one night. Most of their stuff is second-hand because new furniture is expensive and uncomfortable. 

The place isn't all that new, having a bunch of previous renters, but it's not awful. Sure, the kitchens a little small, not that it matters much because neither Jason nor Nico cooks, the linen closest is in an odd place, and the walls could use a fresh coat of paint, not because they're dirty or chipped or anything, but because it would freshen up the place, but these things are just details. They have a roof over their heads, and somewhere warm to go when its cold outside; that's the important part.

Jason flicks on the TV and starts scrolling through the guide. It's hard to settle on something they both like. They've got a show or two they watch together on whatever day of the week it's on, but times like this, when nothing in particular is on… they have their disagreements.

Jason likes mystery shows-- the classic whodunit kind; not the reality TV that's absurdly popular for some reason. Nico, on the other hand, won't admit to being a huge nerd, and likes the fantasy/sci-fi stuff with a dash of superhero mixed in.

For some reason they always end up watching re-runs of bad sitcoms-- you know the kind where the laugh track plays even though you're about ninety percent sure that nothing remotely funny had happened in any way, shape, or form.

Jason's still flipping through the guide when Nico makes his reappearance. His hair is still damp, and somehow managing to look messier than normal, with tufts of hair sticking every which way. It looks a bit shorter than it did earlier.

"Did you finally trim your hair?" Jason asks.

"Huh?" Nico says and then catches himself. "Oh. Yeah. I did." Nico seats himself beside Jason, on the right side of the couch. Between his baggy clothes, and the couch bending easily to his form, almost as if it wants to swallow him up, Jason can't help but think Nico looks really comfortable.

"I don't see why you don't just go to the hairdresser and get it cut properly."

"Why would I pay to have someone do what I'm managing to just fine?"

Now that Nico's sitting a bit closer he can see how choppy the ends of his hair are. Piper used to cut her hair claiming the exact same thing. It'll grow out in a few weeks time, but it gives Jason a sharp pang of pain in his chest. It's been a long while since the break-up but still strong feelings pull at his heart, unable to let go. 

Nico seems to notice the change in Jason and adverts his eyes to stare down at his feet. Jason's worried he'll apologize for something that's not his fault, because he can see how Nico's changed. He's tensing up like he's trying to figure out how not to frighten a small injured animal.

Luckily, a knock on their door announcing the arrival of their dinner interrupts what would be a terribly sore conversation. 

Jason answers the door, pays the delivery boy, and brings the food inside. He unpacks it on the coffee table in the living room. They _could_ eat at the kitchen table, but why would they when it's more comfortable on the couch?

Nico's grabbed some plates from the kitchen and hands one to Jason. 

"Smells good," he comments.

"Let's hope it has a taste to match."

They take what they want from the various containers; Nico taking only a small portion. His appetite never did recover from all that time he spent in that jar. Nico's skinny enough that he reminds Jason of the skeletons he brings into battle, and skinny enough that Jason wishes he would eat more.

"There isn't anything good on," Jason says, flicking through the guide for what feels like the fifth time.

"Is there ever?" Nico retorts, bringing a chopstick clenched tight in his fist down to skewer a chicken ball.

"I brought you a fork, you know," Jason tells him, a small smile sneaking onto his face.

Nico lifts his chin a little. "I don't need it." But Jason knows as soon as Nico doesn't think Jason's looking he'll ditch the chopstick and opt for the fork.

The sixth time Jason flips through the guide, Nico with a sigh, reaches over and snatches the remote out of his hand. Impatiently he scrolls down the guide and picks something at random. Surprisingly it's not a sitcom; it's soap opera. It's one of those ones thats been on for thirty years and they have to keep adding new characters for love interests so they don't accidentally commit incest thanks to everyone being related to each other from various plot twists over the years. Jason's not sure if it's better or worse than the usual.

"Wait, so, which one is Mary?"

"The blonde one with curly hair."

"I thought that was Janet."

"No, no, Janet's the one with brown hair and having an affair with George."

"George?"

"Yeah. George."

" _Who's George?_ "

"The guy Janet is having an affair with!" Nico says throwing his hands up in exasperation, nearly throwing his fork across the room in the process. "Gods, Grace! How is it you can keep track of all the detectives in your crime fighting shows but not a single one of these characters?"

"Because there's only two detectives in my shows to keep track of!"

"But they go by, like, five different names! It's ridiculous."

"So? There's still only two of them! This show," Jason says, waving his hand at the TV, being careful not to drop his plate, "this show has families the size of a small country to memorize!"

Nico rolls his eyes. "Please, the families are only the size of New Rome."

"Maybe," Jason gives, "but that doesn't make them any easier to follow."

Nico frowns and crosses his arms. For a second Jason really thinks Nico's angry with him. That wouldn't be fair considering that there are quite a few characters to remember and he's only seen part of one episode-- but then, as quick as blinking, he sees Nico's lips twitch up for a second, and a glint of mischief in his dark eyes.

A soft smile crosses Jason's face, something bright unfolds in his chest, and they fall into an easy silence.

The show eventually closes on what Jason supposes it supposed to be a great interesting cliff hanger. The end theme plays, and Nico helps clean up. It's not hard. All they have to do is wash the dishes, and put the containers in the fridge. Jason handles washing the dishes, while Nico handles what has become to be known as: Fridge Jenga.

In reality, Fridge Jenga is just figuring out a way of putting all these different sized containers into the fridge without having them all topple out the next time someone opens the fridge. The task is harder than it sounds, and Jason's not very good at it, leaving Nico to be the Fridge Jenga Master. Besides, Nico hates washing the dishes, so it all works out.

Not that Jason particularly likes washing the dishes, because he doesn't. There's just something gross about washing dishes he doesn't like, but he hates it less than Nico does. Whenever someone comes over they always ask why he washes them by hand when theres a dishwasher right next to him. Well, the truth of the matter is that the dishwasher isn't very good, and by not very good he means he thinks the dishes might come out even more dirty if it's possible.

Jason finishes up quickly; there were only two plates, and squats next to Nico who's thrown half of the fridge's contents onto the floor.

"Has the fridge finally beat you?"

"No." Nico shoves a container of chicken wings into the back corner. "I'll get it." Nico pauses and then looks up at Jason with his brows furrowed and looking pensive. "Are you still heading into Camp tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I've got some business with Reyna." It's nothing that can't be discussed over an Iris Message but getting out of the apartment every now and again is nice. Besides, he's hoping he'll have time to go down the the colosseum and get a few matches in. 

Another longer pause, and then, "When are you going?"

"Around noon." 

"Were you just going to walk?"

"I was planning on it, yeah," Jason says with a shrug.

"I could give you a lift, if you wanted." Nico offers, adverting his gaze for a second. "I mean, I promised Hazel I would come see her sometime soon anyway so it's not big deal…"

"That would be great." He's not being entirely truthful. Camp Jupiter isn't far away from their apartment, only 45 minutes maximum if he's walking slow. Jason likes the exercise, so he had been looking forward to it, but he said yes to Nico, despite not being a fan of shadow travel, because its not often Nico offers to anything together.

* * *

Jason will never, ever get used to shadow travel. It's not like what he imagines teleporting would be like; tingly and the feeling of being weightless. No, shadow travel is more like running down an impossibly long dark tunnel at an impossibly fast speed that makes Jason worry he won't be able to breathe; worry that his face is going to peel off. The blackness is heavy and always weighs down on his body like it's ready to snap his bones.

In short: it's awful and Jason has no clue how Nico does it.

As soon as they arrive at Camp Jupiter, Nico drops Jason's hand like a plate that has been in the microwave too long. Jason had hardly been aware of the fact they were holding hands; they had to for shadow travelling purposes, but it had just seemed natural to him. He might've kept his hand linked with Nico's if it had been allowed. Nico's hand was a solid, almost comforting weight to feel in his own.

But Nico's acutely aware of certain things and their implications and avoids them at all costs.

Jason needs a minute to catch his breath because shadow travel takes a lot out of you even if you're not the one using your powers, but once he does, he and Nico start to stroll down the main road.

Happily, Jason notes that its just as lively as it's ever been. Demigods of all ages mill about. Some are running to with their armour to the colosseum, some are holding hands simply enjoying each others company, some are sitting in cafés with their noses buried in textbooks cramming for their exams, and some are laughing with friends over an inside joke. There's a bright buzz of energy in the air and fills Jason with a sense of comfortable belonging; the feeling of home. 

The weather matches the mood of the camp too, with bright sunny rays shining down warming Jason's skin. The regulated weather of camp is something he especially enjoys. The rest of San Francisco is only just starting to warm up. Winter had been bitterly cold, and Jason never thought he could look forward to spring so much. Beside him, even Nico looks pleased to see some sunlight as well. 

In the distance, as few people take notice of Jason and Nico. They don't bother to hide they're looking directly at Nico. Some openly sneer, while some whisper between each other with less than subtle pointing. Nico tenses, uncomfortable with the unwanted attention. Jason throws them a stern look that clearly tells them to cut it out. In an instant they scatter.

Its unfortunate, really. The Greeks and Romans have been able to get along quite well, but there's still this stigma against children of Hades and Pluto. Jason's not sure how the reputation managed to stay afloat seeing as both Nico and his sister, Hazel, played huge roles in, you know, saving the world. Not like that was a big deal or anything. But nothing's ever enough for some people.

In the distance there's a fork in the road. 

"Are you going to leave to see Hazel now?" Jason asks.

"I think I'll drop in to see Reyna first," Nico replies. 

"You have business with her?"

Nico shakes his head. "No, but she'll send her dogs after me if she finds out I dropped into camp and didn't come say hello."

Jason laughs and they take the road on the left heading towards the senate house.

As they get closer to their destination, the streets become more densely packed with people. Nico's not the tallest demigod around and because of that it would be easy for him to get swallowed by the masses of people. The unease rolls off Nico in waves. He doesn't like being touched by people as a rule of thumb, save for his sister, and a few friendly touches from Jason himself. Still, instead of shoving his way forward, he sticks close to Jason and that doesn't escape Jason's notice. He can't lie and say it's not a nice to have Nico so close. 

"This way," Jason says, putting a hand on Nico's shoulder to lead him away from the throngs of people. Nico follows easily and once they've got some breathing space Nico puts some distance between them as well.

The space allows them to talk a little because now they can at least hear each other. Nico doesn't like small talk, especially not the clichéd weather topic. The weather is bores him because, in his words, if he wanted to know about the weather he'd go outside, or open a window, or check the news. It's one of those things about him that doesn't do much but reenforce the stigma he's already got around him of being anti-social, but the truth of the matter is that you've just got to take some some time to get to know him because he can he quite talkative when you hit the right subject.

"Yeah, Grace, I know but I'm saying that I work with the dead nearly everyday and they can definitely climb ladders."

They've somehow started talking about how zombies on TV and in movies are portrayed and how Nico doesn't approve-- its the reason Nico doesn't have horror flicks as his favourite movie genre. Sometimes Nico will roll his eyes at the bad special effects, but most he mutters under his breath that he can't get into it because he can guarantee a haunting doesn't work like that-- he can summon some to prove it! To which Jason reminds him they don't want the neighbours to freak out and have them become the next Paranormal Activity. 

"But their muscle is decaying," Jason argues, just for the sake of debate, "even if they could get up the ladder-- which they wouldn't!-- they'd be powerless because they destroyed all their muscle."

Nico lifts his hands as if to say: _Really?_ and he throws a sharp glare at Jason that gives a while new meaning to if looks could kill. Jason can see the storm behind Nico's eyes and he watches how it moves quickly to form a rebuttal on his lips. Nico takes a breath in a way that Jason has come to learn means a lengthy speech is coming his way when Nico's arms snap out in a wide gesture and--

"Ow!"

Nico hits someone right in the chest. He pulls his arms back in saying, "Sorry!" as quickly as he can. But his expression turns from one of embarrassment to one of pure horror when he sees who he's hit.

It's Percy. Of course it would be Percy.

"It's alright," Percy laughs, rubbing the spot on his chest Nico hit and reaching out to put a friendly hand on Nico's shoulder in greeting. "What's got you so riled up?"

"Nothing," Nico says hastily, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and toeing at the ground. He shrugs Percy's hand off him. For a split second, Jason swears he sees a flicker of hurt cross Percy's face.

But this is what Jason hates. People like Percy don't notice, but Jason does. He sees sees the two sides to Nico. He sees Nico, and what everyone assumes to be Nico. He hates seeing Nico close up on himself. They'd been having a good time until Percy showed up and now Nico looks like he's contemplating running into the Australian outback.

"What're you doing here, Jackson?" Jason asks, working hard to keep his tone light and friendly with no undertone that would clearly tell Percy to leave. "Shouldn't you be at Camp Half-Blood?"

"I should," he says, "But I came to surprise Annabeth." He shrugs. "She's busy studying, and kicked me out though." He rolls his eyes like its no big deal and flashes another grin. "I figured I'd walk around and see if anyone else was hanging around."

"And you ran into us," Jason finishes.

"Yeah. What about you guys?"

Jason tells Percy what's up, and when he says: "Nico and I" he casually places a hand on Nico's shoulder. Nico doesn't shrug Jason off, and he catches Percy noticing this fact. Percy's eyes just barely flick down to Nico's shoulder and his eyebrows pull together in the middle for a pensive, confused second before re-joining the conversation. Jason can't help but feel a bit smug. It's no small feat to be allowed to touch the Son of Hades.

"I'm going to go on ahead," Nico says, cutting into the small talk he dislikes so much. "You know how Reyna doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Both Percy and Jason nod in grim understanding. Reyna most certainly does not like to be kept waiting, she has all of New Rome to run after all, and it runs like clockwork thanks to her hard work and diligence. She doesn't stand for things that waste her time or get in the way of how efficiently she runs things around here.

Nico turns to Percy, and he looks at him. The moment lasts no longer than that of a single heartbeat but Jason catches how Nico's eyes light up a little like they do whenever Mythomagic is brought up. That detail sits heavy in Jason's stomach.

"Later, Percy," Nico says, and then he turns to Jason and says: "I'll see you later, Jason." 

Jason nods and gives him a little wave, "See you back at the flat, Nico."

Nico turns and heads towards the Senate House, easily swallowed by the numerous demigods wandering about.

Something isn't sitting right with Jason. It was how Nico looked at him. He was expecting that light in his eyes to still be there when he said goodbye, but it wasn't. It wasn't like Nico was looking at him with distain, it was just different. Not what he was expecting.

He feels oddly winded, like how he feels whenever Leo has to leave after spending a weekend at their place. They all have fun together but then it comes time for Leo to head back to Camp Half-Blood Jason finds he's always left with some lingering sadness even though he knows he'll be seeing Leo again soon enough.

"So you're living with him? How did _that_ happen?" Percy says with a laugh, pulling Jason out of wallowing in the odd disappointment settled in his core.

Jason doesn't like how Percy says that. He can't put his finger on it, but there's something accusatory in there. It's like he's is saying it's impossible for Nico to live with someone he considers a friend; like he's saying it's impossible for Nico to _have_ a friend. Before Jason can say anything, though, Percy changes the topic.

"D'you wanna get a match in before you head visit Reyna?"

Jason's said yes before he realizes he's done it. He'd planned to spar with whoever was there after he'd talked to Reyna but it'll be good to spar with Percy. He'll be able to go all out against him. No holding back. Besides he won't be keeping her waiting long, she's got Nico to talk with for a bit first.

On the way to the colosseum they catch up with each other. Jason tells Percy he's not been doing much, mostly working around the camp, and somehow coming to live with Nico. He even offers up the fact that he and Piper broke up. Percy offers his condolences in return in the best way he knows how with a: "Really? Shit. Sorry about that, man." And tells Jason he and Annabeth are rocky, rubbing a hand nervously on the back of his neck. Other than that it sounds like Percy's been up to about the same as Jason; Camp stuff. Training the new kids, working Camp relations, generally doing nothing of real importance besides the occasional monster dispatch.

"Almost makes you wish for another prophecy," Percy jokes. 

"Almost," Jason agrees with a slight smile before they both start laughing so hard they have tears in their eyes. As easy and, at times, quite boring as it can be, neither of them want to go through another great prophecy. Two had been more than enough for several life times.

When they make it to the colosseum they suit up and take their places standing across from each other. Percy draws Riptide and Jason brings out Juno's Gladius.

"No powers?" Jason suggests, flipping his sword over in his hand once, twice for good measure.

"No powers," Percy agrees. "Wouldn't want to cause a natural disaster."

And then they're charging at each other, coming together with a loud clang that rings throughout the arena. Jumping back apart, Percy is the first to step towards Jason again, coming in low and aiming for an upwards strike. Jason doges to the right.

Percy's fighting style is very Greek; unpredictable, while Jason's very roman; orderly and proper. Fighting together has given them both insight into how each other moves in battle, and they know it. They've adapted to the knowledge each other has and so they're still evenly matched.

"Glad to see you haven't lost your touch, Jackson," Jason says, parrying Percy's sword.

"Could say the same for you," he says, stepping back to avoid a strike to his chest plate.

Jason ducks, and steps into Percy's guard. He thinks he has him when Percy uses Jason as a vault block. Percy grabs Jason's shoulders and then he's summersaulting down his back, landing on his feet and quickly turning to hit Jason in the back. Luckily the shock of just being tumbled down isn't enough to freeze Jason completely. He throws himself to the side avoiding Percy's blade, but Percy chases him and Jason's on the defence.

They trade hits and blows, until they're both gasping from exhaustion. Neither one backs down, both determined to come out on top. 

Percy loses his footing, trips over his own two feet, and lands on his back. Jason thinks he has him this time for sure, when Percy reaches over to the side, grabs a small stray rock and throws it at Jason. It cracks off the side of Jason's head enough to daze him long enough that Percy can scramble to his feet.

"Hey!" Jason yells.

"It wasn't a power!" Percy says with a cocky grin. "It was just fast thinking!"

They come together again with a clang. Jason wants to end this quickly.

"Actually, Jason," Percy starts, making a come back after Riptide is deflected, "could I ask about something?"

The question is surprising but Jason doesn't let up. "Uh, sure Percy, what's up?"

"It's about Nico," Percy says, and Jason tenses. "Does he still hate me?"

"That's not my place to say," he says cooly, trying to get in a hit, but missing as Percy ducks.

"I mean," Percy continues, "he practically ran the second I came over to you two earlier, so I guess thats my answer, but you're his friend, Jason, tell me how to make it up to him."

"I can't," Jason states, gritting his teeth.

"Why not?"

"Because there's no easy way to make it up to him, Jackson. There's no 'Make Nico Happy' switch and even if there was I wouldn't tell you about it." Jason's blood grows hot under his skin, and he grips his swords tight. His next swing is harder than his other ones. He swings like he's aiming to actually hurt Percy.

"Whoa!" Percy exclaims, bearing the grunt of the swing. He recovers quickly and says, "Come on, Grace, what about a hint?"

"Are you really that shallow, Jackson?" Jason asks, finally landing a hit solid enough that it pushes Percy back. "Are you really going to claim you give a shit about him while in the same breath asking if theres an easy way to do it?" Another hit; this time Percy falls, landing on his back. He's breathless and staring wide-eyed up at Jason, confused. To anyone else the look might induce the feeling of pity, but not for Jason.

"I'll let you in on something, then," Jason says with an angry huff, standing over the son of the sea. "Nothing about Nico is easy, and if that's the extent of your compassion for him-- you'll make it up to him if it's easy-- then don't even bother."

Jason sheathes his sword, removes his armour, dumping it at Percy's feet, and stalks out of the arena.

* * *

A couple slow, laid back days pass. It snows for one of them and the temperature drops enough that the whole of San Francisco just stays inside, wrapped up tight in warm clothes, big blankets and thick socks. Jason and Nico are no exception to this. They stay in, which is well enough because one of their shows is on tonight.

Jason doesn't mention his fight with Percy to Nico. Thinking about it still gets Jason hot under the collar with anger. Percy owes Nico a lot, and at the first inkling of maybe making it up to the guy, Percy tries to find an easy way out. 

And that… that's just wrong. Nico deserves better than that.

Jason had meant what he said back there. Nothing about Nico is easy, and for a second Jason wonders if he's worth it.

He checks over the back of the couch, as if he thinks Nico can read minds, which he can't, but he knows how much that would hurt Nico if he found out Jason just asked himself if being Nico's friend was worth it-- but no, Nico's in the kitchen still waiting for the popcorn to pop. Popcorn is a necessity for TV watching, after all.

Honestly, Jason should know better than to let Nico pop the popcorn because he has a tendency to burn it. Oddly enough it's something Nico likes to do, so Jason puts up with kernels that might have once tasted delicious but will now only taste of charcoal.

Jason turns back to the TV and sips his drink. He supposes some people would wonder if all the effort that goes into being Nico's friend is worth it and well… is it?

It's not difficult to live with Nico, but it's not exactly easy. He can't cook for himself, doesn't eat much, and is pretty picky on top of it causing Jason a lot of worry. The coming and going wouldn't be so bad if Nico used the door like most people do, but he just _appears_. Messiness isn't much of an issue but Nico does tend to leave things laying around, from cups to clothing, from towels to candy wrappers. He'll pick these things up eventually, but it takes him longer than it really should.

Jason considers himself Nico's friend and surprisingly the feeling is reciprocated, even if it doesn't seem like it. Nico had taken forever to relax and trust Jason when he said he liked his company. It had taken even longer for Nico to trust Jason with even the tiniest of facts, like that he enjoys watching TV with him too.

Then there's Nico's general demeanour. He's been described as creepy, and its no mystery as to why. He dresses in all black-- even has a chain belt to boot!-- and glares at anyone who tries to approach him. He radiates death, not that he can help it, and to say he doesn't like small talk would be an understatement. He can be tricky to be around. He's sort of like a cat; aloof and only willing to do whatever it is that he wants to do.

By being such a prickly, pessimistic person Jason can see why people would give up in their attempts to befriend Nico, but it's not like Nico doesn't have reason for why he is the way he is. His life hasn't exactly been a walk in the park, even by demigod standards. Gods knows it took Nico forever to open up about his sisters death.

Jason had known about Bianca's passing since their encounter with Cupid, but he shouldn't have. Cupid had ripped these highly personal and painful things out of Nico before he was ready to tell anyone about them, and Jason shouldn't have seen it. He'd been an unwitting trespasser, and it was only right to wait for Nico himself to tell Jason about the things he'd seen of his own free will.

Nico had been in tears when he told Jason about Bianca. He opened the conversation with a: "Her name was Bianca," and from there he talked about how great she'd been to him as a sister. Nico had never looked as happy as he did as he recounted to Jason that she would tickle his sides while saying: _"I'm gonna get you, you little monster!"_ And yet, there was this unbearable sadness surrounding it all. Nico told Jason how upset and angry he'd been at her for abandoning him and how he'd asked Percy to protect her and how Percy _promised_ he would.

Jason had sat quietly and listened to Nico's story. Nothing he could have said would have been right so when it was over he didn't say anything. Instead, he his arm around Nico's shoulders and let the boy lean into him. It seemed like the right thing to do, and he thinks the gesture spoke louder than any words he could have said.

But is Nico worth it? Has all this time and effort he's put into been worth it?

"Hey," comes Nico's voice breaking Jason's train of thought. "I, uh, burnt the popcorn. Again."

Jason could smell it now and, boy, did he ever burn it. "Yeah," he says in shock. "You really did."

"So, I threw out the burnt stuff and tossed the rest in a bowl." Nico hands Jason a half full bowl of popcorn and sits beside him, pulling his legs up to his chest.

"Wait, where's yours?"

"Like I said: I threw out the burnt stuff." Nico shrugs.

Jason rolls his eyes and scoots over close to Nico, who looks at him questioningly. "Here," he says. "We can share, and during the commercial I'll go make more."

Nico's eyebrows raise just a hair, and his eyes light up for a fraction of a second like he never expected Jason to share anything with him. Which is kinda foolish considering they live together and share most everything.

The couch bends to their combined weight letting them settle together. 

Their show starts and it doesn't look to be just another filler episode which Jason's thankful for, he didn't think he'd be able to last through one more without falling asleep. That's part of why Jason likes whodunit's so much. There's no filler, only plot to find out who the killer is-- how Nico manages to sit through fillers in his 260 episode long shows is beyond him. But of course right when they're about to find out if this new character is actually a bad guy or not it cuts to commercial. 

Jason gets up, moving quickly, doing his best to shave seconds off every action he makes so he's guaranteed to make it back and not miss anything. He does this so well, he makes it back early.

As he goes to sit down he notices the bowl that they had been sharing earlier is suddenly missing.

"Where…?" he starts when he notices it tucked away in Nico's arms. Glancing up blue eyes meets a brown so dark it's mistaken for black. Nico only smirks and pops a popcorn into his mouth with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Jason only rolls his eyes and seats himself close to Nico again. He's not pushed away and it's comfortable like this.

Nico ends up shouting at the TV when the character is revealed to be a bad guy while Jason laughs and tells Nico: _"I told you so!"_ to which Nico replies: _"You have an unfair advantage!"_ And Jason finds a pillow suddenly in his face as Nico tries to smother him in jest. 

Jason pushes Nico off him, laughing, and he notes the impish look present on Nico's face. How his lips are pulled up on one side in a shy but playful manner, and how there's still this light in his dark, inky eyes. He's seen Nico relaxed, he's seen him content, he's seen him comfortable, he's seen him passionate but this is something else entirely. It takes Jason by surprise. 

Jason's heart flutters for a second before he tries to smother Nico with his own pillow. For one brief moment that the long graceful line of Nico's neck is exposed as he throws his head back to let out a laugh Jason's only heard a few times before. It's barking and a bit broken from lack of use, but sounds like music just the same. It's in that second that Jason thinks and then becomes sure that, yeah, Nico can be difficult at times, but being able to see him like this, and being able to be like this with Nico… 

It's entirely worth it.

* * *

It had been another lazy day in. The weather had been particularly awful all day, _again_ , leaving Jason stuck inside. By himself. Nico had gone to Camp Jupiter earlier to hang out with his sister some more. It was odd only because Nico had left a note on the fridge telling him so-- though it might have been in lieu of an apology for setting off the smoke alarm earlier when he'd forgotten to remove the foil wrapper off a pizza pocket.

Usually, Jason doesn't mind a few days lazing about but enough is enough. He hates being cooped up inside, it makes him go a little stir-crazy even if there were things to do, and there were! He'd read some of a book he'd been meaning to start, and he'd played some mindless games online with Leo, and he'd watched TV for a bit because it's not like he doesn't do that enough, and that was good for the couple of hours that he busied himself with it.

The trouble is that Jason gets up decently early, not at the crack of dawn like Nico seems to, but early and there's only so many hours of doing nothing a guy can take. So, he'd ended up cleaning. 

He'd thrown the laundry, both his and Nico's, into the washing machine downstairs, and he'd vacuumed where it needed vacuuming, and he'd swept the floor because Nico's version of sweeping is kicking everything under the cabinets. He doesn't mind cleaning. It gives him something to do and it's productive. The place always smells fresh, like citrus fruit when he's done, and it feels good to have done it.

Jason doesn't often go into Nico's room, only to pick up his laundry or put it away because the kid takes longer than he really should to do his own, so Nico's room is still mostly uncharted territory to Jason. With a brief glance around he sees that it's about the same as ever; neat bed that looks hardly used, a messy desk and cluttered bookshelf. The floor is free of dirty laundry but only because Jason's washed it.

As Jason separates his laundry from Nico's, more or less just dumping Nico's laundry on his bed because Jason isn't the maid and Nico can fold it himself, Jason notes a Mythomagic card that's fallen off Nico's bookshelf. He walks over and places it back with other cards, ignoring the the uncomfortable and oddly jealous feeling he gets when he sees it's the Poseidon card. He pretends like he doesn't notice how its more worn than the other cards.

Nico's such a geek he has two of every card. The first set are the ones Nico keeps in mint condition. The other set of cards is the usual set, the ones Nico uses to play with, the set Jason likes because they're worn and used; well loved. But the Poseidon card is worn in a different way… its worn like Nico keeps it close, tucked away in his jacket pocket.

A slight weight that pulls at the soles of his feet and hands grabs Jason's attention. Nico must be back. Grabbing the laundry basket he leaves Nico's room just as Nico's about to enter.

"What were you doing in my room?" Nico asks, sounding suspicious.

"I did your laundry for you."

"Oh," Nico says, surprise and the colour of embarrassment tints his cheeks. "You didn't have to do that."

"It wasn't a problem," Jason says with a shrug. "I needed more clothes to make a full load anyway." It wasn't a lie. Jason doesn't own as many darks as Nico does.

"Thank you," Nico says quietly, moving to get into his room.

Jason leaves Nico be and heads to the kitchen. As he looks through the fridge, trying to find out where Nico stacked the oldest left overs so that he can heat them up before they go bad, he hears Nico head for the shower like he always does when he comes back.

Nico reemerges from the shower and comes into the kitchen, with a towel draped over his shoulders to catch the water still dripping from the ends of his hair.

"Have you eaten yet?" Jason asks.

"Uh…"

"I'll take that as a no," Jason says, pulling a second plate from the cupboard.

Oddly, Nico hovers around as Jason throws some leftovers onto his plate. Usually Nico plants himself on the couch and tries to find something for them to watch but apparently not today. He doesn't offer any conversation, not like thats uncommon, but usually silence between the two of them isn't filled with this much… apprehensiveness either.

The microwave beeps and Jason pulls Nico's plate carefully out with a towel because all microwaves seem to think that people want the plate rather than the food heated. Together they go to sit on the couch in awkward silence, the only noise between them coming from the TV; George's wife nearly found out about the affair.

"Did you see Hazel today?" Jason asks eventually, 

"I did," Nico says keeping his gaze on the TV. "She took me to her favourite bakery."

"And…?" Jason asks sensing that there's more to be told.

"And I saw Percy."

Jason presses his lips into a thin line. "Oh?"

"He wanted to hang out." A pause. "With me." And there's something in Nico's voice that sounds an awful lot like hope. But when Jason looks over at Nico out of the corner of his eye and he's met with one very angry Son of Hades. Nico chews on the inside of his cheek, with his eyebrows are aggressively pulled together as he glowers at the TV.

"You look angry," Jason comments dumbly.

"Of course I'm angry," Nico says, his hands balling into fists so tight his knuckles grow white, his short nails probably cutting into his palms leaving behind angry semi-circles. "He's such an idiot… How dare he…" he mutters to himself, never quite finishing a thought. His eyes flick over to lock with Jason's and he looks dangerously close to crying. 

"Hey, hey," Jason says, putting a hand on Nico's shoulder. "Did he say something to you?"

Nico doesn't say anything for a moment and Jason's reminded of a time long ago when Nico had looked at him with a similar expression saying: _"There's no way you understand"_. But this time, the thing is, Jason _does_ understand. 

Nico leans into Jason's touch for a second. His eyes close briefly, like he's trying to concentrate and Jason can't help but think he looks very, very, venerable. Venerable and scared like a kid who's been afraid of the sea all his life and is only now for the first time considering putting his head under the waters surface again.

The tug behind Jason's rib cage is sudden and strong. A familiar desire to protect Nico resurfaces. The longer Nico takes to tell Jason what happened, the more sure Jason becomes that very soon he's going to be knocking down Percy Jackson's door.

"No," Nico says finally, "we spent some time together and it wasn't awful."

"It wasn't?" Jason says, surprised; his plans to quite literally knock some sense into Percy suddenly thrown out the window.

"It wasn't," Nico confirms.

"So," Jason treads carefully, "why are you so angry?"

"Why do you _think_ , Grace?"

Jason knows why. All Nico's life Percy took him for granted; didn't so much as consider giving him a second glance, and now suddenly, Percy's taken an interest in him. Nico's angry because he feels like his feelings are being played with. 

He'd sworn up and down after their encounter with Cupid years ago that he didn't like Percy anymore, that he'd given up and moved on, but Jason had always sort of suspected that Nico wasn't being entirely truthful to either of them. Nico feels like his feelings are being played with because he still likes Percy. A lot. 

Jason knows Nico well enough to know this. 

Oddly, he starts to feel like he's got snakes twisting around angrily in his stomach. He shouldn't be uncomfortable, because, like he said, he always suspected it. Nico likes Percy. Nothing new. Why Nico likes Percy is beyond him, but that's not the point. The point is that he shouldn't be feeling so needlessly uneasy.

"I said I'd hang out with him," Nico says quietly but in a way that sounds like he's trying to spit out a rotten, half chewed grape. "Like some sort of idiot I said I'd hangout with him on Tuesday." After a second of thought he says, "I should cancel."

"No," Jason says despite the tight feeling in his abdomen. "You should go. It might do you some good, you know?"

Nico presses his lips together in a small frown and crosses his arms over his chest.

"I'll think about it."

* * *

The next night, Jason's jarred awake by a loud scream- not a yell or a shout- a scream. A scream of pure horror; piercing and loud. The kind of that sends chills down spines, and inflict the fight or flight response in anyone within ear shot. 

In an instant Jason's throwing off his covers and rushing to Nico's room, stumbling once as his body struggles to wake up as much as his mind has. Seconds later he's at Nico's bedside and Jason sees he's tangled in his sheets in a way that Jason thinks he didn't mean to fall asleep. 

"Nico!" Jason says loudly, "Nico wake up!" Holding Nico's face gently between his hands Jason feels the faint sheen of sweat that coats Nico's skin and it matts his hair against his forehead. He brushes the dark hair out of Nico's eyes in an attempt to soothe him, but still Nico's breath comes out in short and ragged bursts and his limbs strain against the tension in them.

"Nico," Jason says again. "Nico it's okay--"

Then suddenly Nico's eyes fly open in a panic, and without a second thought, punches Jason-- or tries too. It's not the first time Nico's woken suddenly and attacked with a mean left hook that left Jason with a swollen face for a week, so he's prepared. He catches Nico's fist and pins it down to the bed.

Nico lets out another wordless scream of panic and attempts to kick Jason off. Luckily for the both of them Nico's legs are tangled up in the sheets.

"Nico," Jason says gently looking into Nico's wide and frightened eyes, "It's me, Jason, just me. It's okay, it's okay. You're okay." Some recognition takes over Nico's face and still Jason talks him down. "I'm here. Nothing is going to hurt you."

Slowly, Nico's adrenaline dies down enough that he's able to see Jason, see that there's no threat, see that he's okay. Nico starts to tremble as he comes down off his fear. The tremor shakes Nico's whole body and he looks panickedly up at Jason.

"It's okay," Jason reassures. "It's okay. I want you to breathe with me, okay Nico? Nice and slow. In. And out. Yeah, just like that."

For a minute Jason doesn't let Nico go from his gentle hold, and they stay like that for a minute, breathing together. Inhale, exhale, repeat. Inhale, exhale, repeat. Gradually they move into a sitting position across from each other. Nico's eyes flutter closed as he focuses just his breathing and nothing else. Gradually the trembling dies down and Nico's returned to a relative calm.

Jason slowly starts to let go of Nico, thinking it's safe to do. Out of reflex Nico grabs back onto him. Nico holds tight like Jason's the only thing he's sure of in the storm and his eyebrows pinch together painfully. 

"Don't go," Nico says. His eyes meets Jason's for a second before adverting away, embarrassed. "Don't go," he says again with a slight pleading tone to it, so quiet it's barely audible in the silence.

"I won't go anywhere," Jason promises.

Nico doesn't move for a long moment, holding Jason's forearms tightly. Jason waits for him to make the first move, decide what they're going to do, but it doesn't happen.

"Why don't you lay back down?" Jason suggests.

Nico looks up abruptly like he'd forgotten Jason was there, that he's hanging onto a person and not a thin piece of rope that's keeping him from falling into the abyss.

"Yeah," he says thickly. "Okay."

They lay down together because it's a little awkward for both of them if only one of them is. Nico starts with facing away from Jason, rolls over to face him looking embarrassed, then rolls onto his back looking like he's decided it's a happy medium and, despite what looks like his best efforts to stay awake, falls back asleep. 

The moonlight shines in through the window, coming nowhere near the bed, but letting enough light into the room that Jason can see Nico's features clearly. He looks like a corpse laying there, pale and still. It's a little unnerving and kind of ironic. Jason's almost tempted to laugh. Almost.

The night terrors Nico suffers from, although have calmed down as time has passed, are no laughing matter. Nico can't escape his memories of Tartarus. Every so often Nico will relive his time there and scream like he did tonight. Jason can't imagine what it was that Nico went through by himself down there, nor can he imagine what its like to be plagued by the memories. 

Jason still has nightmares from the last battle with Gaea, he's sure all the seven of the prophecy still have nightmares about that, but he doubts its even comparable to what Nico suffers from. 

And the thing is, Nico's nightmares used to be worse. Nico used to scream until his throat bled, and sometimes even though his eyes were open he'd still be hallucinating. He'd drive himself into a full blown panic attack. 

Jason remembers the first time he experienced Nico's night terrors and he wishes he could forget. Nico had yelled and wailed. Nothing Jason did seemed to help, nothing could bring Nico out of it. He was trapped reliving memories everyone wishes he could forget. The screams were so awful, so blood curdling, that some neighbours had called the police thinking a murder was being committed.

Trying to explain to the police that, no, there was not murder in progress, but that the guy you live with happens to have terrible, terrible nightmares from, uh, horror movies, yeah, was not something Jason ever thought he'd have to do.

Nico shifts a little in his sleep. With his face turned towards Jason like this the bags under his eyes seem so much darker than usual and so much deeper. The light catching on his sharp cheekbones isn't helping. Still, Jason finds himself taking notice of how the light catches off Nico's mouth, too. It hangs open slightly, and his lips look chapped.

Jason doesn't look away. He tells himself it's because he's watching for signs that Nico's going to have another night terror, but he knows the chances of another nightmare tonight are slim. He tells himself that it's just because it's not often he gets to see Nico like this. Sure, Nico is comfortable with him, but this is different. Nico looks peaceful. There's no frown or furrowed eyebrows. There's no tight shoulders or darting eyes. It's good to see him like this, stress free, and there's enough truth to all that Jason's telling himself, that he lets himself believe it.

* * *

"Nico," Jason says with a heavy sigh when Tuesday rolls around. "Just go meet up with him."

Nico's been pacing around all morning, and the dark circles under his eyes looking worse than normal makes Jason think he didn't sleep a wink the night before. He doesn't comment on it because he knows Nico will tell him he was just avoiding a nightmare, which is probably true, but it's more likely he stayed up all night being conflicted about today.

"What if we did something today?" Nico offers, fiddling with the ring on his right hand.

"Can't," Jason says. "You have plans, and so do I." Jason shrugs on a light jacket. The weather is nice today, and there's no way that he's going to let it go to waste. "So you might as well just go-- and bring a scarf if you think you're going to be out late!"

He hears Nico splutter a little, probably because of the comment about the scarf, but Jason's left before Nico can form any real words and make a decision.

Jason gets a block away before he shoves his hands into his jacket angrily. Nico hardly ever offers to do anything together and he'd felt his heart leap through hoops when Nico'd suggested they do something. They could have seen that new movie they've both been wanting to see since it came out, or grabbed lunch together, but no. Jason's being a good friend and pushing Nico to go see Percy. Percy of all people!

He feels guilty for the resentment he has towards Percy. It's not like Percy knows about Nico's crush on him and what this is doing to Nico. He's a bit late to the "Make It Up to Nico" party, but at least he's making an attempt to show up. Better late then never, he supposes. In the end, Jason has to admit that Percy isn't a bad guy-- just slow on the uptake sometimes.

Jason keeps walking, trying not to dwell on it, tries not to feel guilty that on some level, when Nico offered to do something together, Jason thought about saying yes to get out of his plans for the day. He'd never be forgiven if he'd cancelled. Never.

A sharp wind blows, stirring up some flurries. Around this time of year no one's quite sure what they should be wearing-- a jacket? just a sweater?-- and Jason had made the mistake of over estimating just how temperamental and misleading the weather of San Francisco is. His light jacket is enough to keep the chill off, but he wouldn't say he's exactly _comfortable_. Really, he should've known better.

Pulling his jacket tight around his shoulders he's thankful that his destination isn't far.

He reaches a small coffee shop just outside of Camp Jupiter. Looking around awkwardly as he enters he breathes in the heavy smell of coffee in the air. The café isn't packed, but it's not empty either-- busy enough to keep workers on their toes. It's quaint, but homey, and filled with a lot of rich browns and warm reds. He could easily see someone being able to settle down with a book here for a good couple hours without even noticing how much time has passed.

"Jason!" a voice calls.

He swallows the lump in his throat and ignores his heart trying to kick into overdrive. Turning to face the voice he says, "Hey, Piper."

"Over here, I saved you a spot," she says gesturing to a seat by the end of the counter. She looks as great as ever. Her choppy hair is pulled up for the job, but she hasn't removed her braids or beads, something that is still very Piper, Jason decides. 

"Thanks," he says, taking the seat.

"Can I get you anything?" she asks, putting down the glass she was wiping.

"Surprise me," he says.

Piper laughs and rolls her eyes but whips up some sort of concoction and is back quick as lightning. He doesn't know what it is but it smells earthy and pleasant; robust. The taste is smooth, rich, and goes down easy. He's got to hand it to Piper, she can make a mean cup of coffee. 

"It's been a while, huh?" she says after a beat of silence.

"It has," Jason agrees. He hasn't really seen or spoken to her since the break up and that had been forever ago. Weird considering how close they live to one another. "You like being out here again?"

"Mm, yeah. It's alright."

"Alright?"

"Yeah, well, I mean, I like living with my dad and Camp Jupiter and everything but… Camp Half-Blood just feels like home." She sighs. "I don't know. It's weird, I used to live here after all, but it's just not home."

"I can understand that."

Piper had moved out back to the west coast to live with her father after shortly Gaea was put back to sleep and picked up a part time job here at the café just to give her something to do. She's a natural, but Jason's sure being a daughter of Aphrodite doesn't hurt. She and Jason broke up a couple of months after she moved out here and he always kind of thought that she would move back to the New York area-- not because they broke up, but because he just thought she'd be happier there.

It's funny how camp does that, how it just becomes your home. Camp Jupiter has always been Jason's home, even if he did struggle with the idea with going to stay at Camp Half-Blood for a while. It was great to be there, it was! But it wasn't _home_. Camp, either the Roman one or the Greek one, for all demigods, is this place where suddenly they fit in and everything weird about them makes sense. Jason's seen it in all his friends. 

Well, all of them but Nico. 

"Having Annabeth around probably helps though, doesn't it?" Jason asks.

"Oh yeah, she feels similarly. I think she fits in better here than she thinks she does but she understands where I'm coming from and-- actually speaking of Annabeth did you know she and Percy might break up?" Piper frowns, more concerned about her friends than she is about spreading the latest gossip. Gossip has never really been Piper's thing. 

"I did actually, I saw Percy just the other day." He sips his coffee and offers a shy smile. "We kind of got into a fight."

Piper laughs. "How am I not surprised?" After a second she just smiles fondly. "Gods, I miss you." 

"I miss you too," Jason says earnestly. Its good to be seeing her again, to be so close to her, and yet its not close enough. His heartstrings pull and ache for her as strongly as they did they day they first broke up. It's strange, he thought he was over it. But even more strange, is that despite this tug strong in his bones, is the fact that all the tension disappears from the air.

It's funny how that works. 

With the tension suddenly lifted it's their spring board for talking about just about everything. Piper tells Jason all about the people that come through the shop, both the good and the bad, stories so ridiculous at one point he slams his hands down on the counter loudly saying _"No!!"_ in disbelief causing the cups to rattle and people to pass disapproving glares over their direction. Piper only laughs harder seeing the look on Jason's face, in return giving him a very enthusiastic _"Yes!!"_.

Jason doesn't have stories as good as Piper's to offer in return, but he has one or two. He tells her about the time Leo came over a while back and he, Leo, and Frank went to go see the new movie that was out, but ended up arriving two hours early because Leo didn't read the right schedule. They had two hours to kill at the mall and Leo was playing pranks on the both of them, and when Frank decided to get some revenge Leo jumped three feet in the air, knocked over three display cases and lit something on fire.

They laugh about it even though Jason isn't the best story teller and eventually they fall into comfortable silence.

"Why did you and Percy fight?" Piper asks after she comes back from serving a customer.

Jason shrugs. "Well, it was less of a fight and more of me just yelling at him. He can be so thick sometimes."

"Yeah," Piper says rolling her eyes, "Annabeth has told me all about that-- actually she's pretty mad at him right now because of it."

"Really?"

Piper nods. "She said to Percy they should do something today, but he said he was busy, which is understandable, you know? Can't hangout or whatever because you're busy, but she'll be busy for the next little while and today was the only free day she had-- and he knows that! She wants to fix things between them but…" she says, trailing off with a defeated sounding sigh.

"To be fair," Jason says, "he's hanging out with Nico today which left him stuck between a rock and a hard place."

"Nico?"

"Yeah. That's… actually why I yelled at him. He asked if there was a way to make it up Nico-- as if he thought there was just a button he could push-- and I just got so angry."

Piper's quiet for a second. She just looks at Jason with those eyes of hers that he can never quite place the colour of and gets a very pensive look on her face. Not thoughtful like The Thinker statue that's so famous, but like she's scrutinizing him. It's a little uncomfortable and Jason thinks she's been hanging out with Annabeth too much.

"You like him," she says finally. 

"Nico? Of course I do, he's my friend," but Jason feels like he's not telling the whole truth as his words tumble from him. It's true. He and Nico are friends, but there's something else just beneath the surface that Jason hasn't been letting himself think about.

"Romantically," she clarifies. Her tone is clear. Crisp. Decisive. "Don't bother lying, I'm the daughter of Aphrodite after all. I know these things." A pause, and a friendly smile. "Besides you're a terrible liar."

Jason doesn't answer and that seems to be enough for Piper. She places her hand gently on his arm and smiles. She's not angry or hurt or anything. She just smiles and gives him her support and thats more than enough for Jason.

"It doesn't matter whether or not I like him," he says, still avoiding confirming the truth, whatever it may be. "It's what he wants that matters."

"Oh, Jason," Piper says almost wearily and leans over the counter to place a small kiss on his cheek. He doesn't think about how sad she sounds or about the look of sympathy he's getting. He just takes it as it is, and allows himself to feel the comfort it gives.

Jason stays much longer than he ever intended. Piper finishes her shift and still they spend an hour or two chatting away, avoiding the subject of romance, and getting refills for their coffee until the barista has to the cut them off. 

He offers to walk her home when it starts to get late and she jabs him in the ribs lightly with her elbow asking if he thinks she can't protect herself. Jason smiles and tells her, no, he was hoping she would protect him. They laugh and in the end she accepts.

They walk and talk together like nothings changed between them. There's never a lengthy, uncomfortable pause. The conversation moves easily back and forth from general things like what the've been up to gossip from around camp. ("Remember that kid Michael?" "The short Son of Ares?" "Yeah, him. He got married a couple months ago." "Really? To who?" "Oliver! Son of Apollo!" "But I thought they hated each other!" "Yeah, so did every one else. But it turns out they're a perfect match for each other.")

Jason wonders briefly if that's a story he should tell Nico, or if that would be a bad idea.

They laugh over old memories and share embarrassing stories about other campers, laughing even harder. ("Did you know the cabins have wards on them to keep kids from having sex?" "Do they?" "Yeah, some kid got thrown out of the Venus cabin last week." "Haha! I wish I had been there to see that!")

Jason's already said it, but he missed her. He missed her presence around him and how bright she seemed to shine at all times. He missed how she wouldn't take shit from anyone, how she wasn't afraid to tell people to sit down and shut up. Talking to her again feels like the best thing in the world.

"We should do this again," Jason says standing at the end of her driveway.

"We should," she agrees. "Drop by whenever you have the chance."

"I will," he promises.

They say their goodbyes for the night, and Jason heads back to his place.

The walk home is spent between wistful thinking that he should have asked to hang out with her sooner, and trying not to think about what she said in the shop about one Nico di Angelo. As with anything, the more he tells himself not to think about it, the more he thinks about it.

He kicks a stray rock, with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. 

Tomorrow, he forces himself to think, he's going down to the arena to help the younger demigods train, and after go pick up some groceries. Then, when he gets arrives back at his place, he's going to look up something easy he can make with whatever it is he's bought. He's aware that he could look up something easy to make and then go shopping, but Nico's a picky eater and it's just easier to do it backwards.

Thinking about what he needs to buy--eggs, cheese, some sort of fruit, and those little breakfast sausages that are way too expense but that he buys anyway because he knows Nico really likes them--is enough of a distraction that he makes it home in good time without even knowing it.

Jason unlocks the door and makes his way inside and hears Nico call out a greeting from the living room.

It smells like Nico attempted to cook. Luckily nothing smells on fire or burnt, but he doesn't want to look at the kitchen just yet. He has a very strong feeling that it'll look like a food-based bomb has gone off in there. He knows Nico doesn't actively try to make a mess, but it wouldn't kill him to try and be a little less messy. Jason just cleaned the other day. 

"Hey," Jason greets, walking into the living room, throwing the jacket over the back of the couch. 

"Hey," Nico says from where he's curled up on the couch, holding a small bowl of… is that mac and cheese? "I made you some-- don't look at me like that! It's edible. Kind of. I added too much milk."

But Jason's frozen in place. He'd been trying the whole way home not to think about what Piper had said just a few short hours ago. How she said it so clearly and strongly, like there was no room for doubt. That this was just the way that things were. 

He'd been trying not to think about Nico on the way back but now that Nico was sitting in front of him, his mind short circuits and suddenly Nico is the only thing his brain is wiling to process. He's noticing how Nico's silky, dark hair falls into his eyes in a way that make Jason feel the urge to brush it to the side. He's noticing how Nico lifts his chin to defend his cooking. He's thinking about how Nico just seems to fit on their ratty, old, second hand couch like he's meant to be there, like this space that they live in together is somewhere he belongs.

There's a grin pulling on the side of his mouth as he thinks about these things.

He and Nico are friends, so of course Jason cares about him. Of course he does. He wants the best for Nico like any friend would. He wants Nico happy, but flushed, red feelings are finally bubbling to the surface, and they're hot. Hot, like food fresh off the grill from that restaurant on the corner of 3rd and Main. The one that always seasons with too many spices and make his nose run. But Jason keeps going back because it leaves a pleasant but slightly painful burning sensation throughout his whole body. 

Oddly, he thinks about the night Nico had his nightmare, and how once Nico had fallen asleep again he'd noticed how his lips looked chapped; probably because Nico has a habit of licking them. He wonders how the curve of Nico's mouth would fit against his. Wonders how it would feel to have Nico sigh against his lips in contentment with his arms looped easily around Jason's neck.

Because, okay, yeah. Jason Grace likes Nico di Angelo romantically. 

Fact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theres not a lot of action in this fic. its a lot of… well its an attempt at subtleties and stuff. Im working on showing things rather than just telling them.
> 
> As always tell me if you catch any mistakes!


	2. Chapter 2

The next day at Camp Jupiter Jason's suiting up to help train the demigods. Usually he helps with the older ones who are able to learn more advanced techniques, but today he's with the newbies. He's dreading going out there. It's not that he holds anything against the new kids for not knowing anything, but Jason can't remember at time he wasn't training. He's been living this life since he was two and it can be hard to accommodate them.

He can't stop himself from thinking "well, when _I_ was your age _I_ could do this" which makes him sound like a crotchety old man.

When he steps out into the arena he sees that there's a surprising amount of them here. Thankfully he thinks there's an even number of them. He smiles a little when he sees one still struggling with his straps. Had he looked so ridiculous when he was their age? Still, he kneels down beside the kid and helps them quickly adjust their armour. It earns him a timid thank you and shy blush.

He starts the lesson by seeing what they already know so that he doesn't treat them like they're no smarter than a bag of bricks. They seem to know how to hold a sword and how do a few basic parries and blocks, but that's about it. With a sigh he begins what feels like is going to be a very long morning on correct posture.

"Because," he says, when all the kids groan in agony, "while posture isn't everything, you have to know the rules before you can break them."

And what a long morning it is. Some of the younger girls giggle and mess up their posture of purpose just so that Jason has to go over to them more than is entirely necessary. If the group had been a little smaller he wouldn't have minded so much, but he had other kids to attend to, some that actually needed his help. Luckily, most of them are quick to learn, and those that aren't learn even faster what bad posture can do to your ability to move from one form to another.

That's what good posture is for after all. Each parry and dodge is set up to easily flow from one to the next in neat orderly sequences and for beginners like these guys, if your posture is sloppy so are your executions of the swordplay techniques, leaving you wide open for an attack. It might be as something as harmless as a scratch, but then again it could also be teeth sunken into your flesh. It would be stupid to take chances like that.

By the end of class, however, he's worked himself up a sweat and a hunger so deep, so rumbling, he swears he could eat a horse. Well, okay, maybe not a horse. That might make Tempest upset. Maybe a double-stacked BLT… or two.

Arriving to the pavilion he sees Percy already eating, sitting next to Hazel. Grudgingly he supposes he should go sit with them. Not that he doesn't want to see Hazel, he does, he hasn't seen her in-- wow he can't think when it last was that he saw her last-- it's Percy he doesn't want to be around.

For a single moment wrapped in guilt, he considers pretending like he hasn't seen them and walking away, like some sort of immature twelve year old, too petty and self-centred to suck up whatever stupid feelings of resentment he has regarding the son of Poseidon. But Percy catches Jason's eye and it's too late for him to escape now.

With a sigh, Jason decides that he's just going to have to put on his big boy pants. 

"Hey," he says in greeting to both of them, but looking at Hazel.

"Hey, Grace," Percy says with a grin.

"Jason!" Hazel exclaims, her whole face lighting up. She checks around, looking confused. "Nico's not with you?"

"No," Jason says with a shake of his head. "He was busy helping his father today."

She sighs and rubs her temples. "What am I going to do with that boy? He's always in the Underworld."

"Tie up him?" Percy offers. 

Hazel laughs. "You can be in charge of that then, Percy." She turns to Jason again, "But don't think you're off the hook!"

"I was on it?" Jason asks.

"Yes!" Hazel cries. "I haven't seen you in so long! You're as bad as Nico for remembering to come say hello!"

Jason laughs. "I'm not that bad am I?"

She lifts her chin and narrows her eyes much in the way that Nico does. It must be something they get from their father. "Yeah," she says seriously. "I think he's rubbing off on you."

"Oh dear," he says with mock seriousness. "I guess this means I'll have a lot of black getting added to my wardrobe soon." 

Hazel laughs, covering her mouth politely. "He does need some colour in his clothes, doesn't he?"

"Can you imagine him in yellow?" Percy cuts in.

As they look at each other, eyes flicking back and forth looking for some sort of reaction, silence falls. Jason's got this idea of Nico's in a bright yellow shirt with a smiley face on it. The picture isn't half as funny as the idea of Nico getting up in the morning, pulling it out of the closet, and willingly putting it on himself.

Percy's the first to let out a small snort of amusement and it sets Jason and Hazel off. Together they laugh hard and loud at the thought of Nico wearing yellow. Between gasps Percy seems to be trying to tell them to picture Nico in a yellow rain jacket, boots and hat. Hazel says he's not being creative enough and suggests yellow pants and suspenders. 

Jason might butt heads with Percy over a multitude of things, but this is the thing about Percy that Jason is never prepared for-- just how easy it is to be around him. Percy just radiates easy laid back waves that are nearly impossible to ignore. There's just something about him that draws people in-- Jason included.

"He'll kill us all if he ever finds out," Percy says wiping a tear from his eye, once their laughter starts to die down. 

"Maybe just us, Jackson," Jason says. "He likes Hazel too much."

"Protect us Hazel!" Percy says, throwing a dramatic arm over his forehead and leaning into her.

"Oh no," she says, pushing him off and laughing. "You're the one who started this, Percy."

"I am not!" Percy says indignantly. "Jason's the one who interrupted."

"Oh yeah," Hazel says thoughtfully. "Did Nico just give you the cold shoulder all day?"

Jason feels himself tense up. Nico had told him a bit of what happened when he'd got home the other day, but not much, and Jason hadn't pushed, because frankly he didn't really want to know. He'd been told that he and Percy gone to grab coffee and from there gone to the bookstore. He had used the same phrase he'd used when he first mentioned Percy wanted to hang out, that their time together "wasn't awful".

Nico had to fight a small smile trying his grace his lips as he spoke, like he was determined to be unhappy with how his day went. But his eyes gave him away. There was something in them that just told Jason Nico had enjoyed his time with Percy more than he was willing to admit, even to himself.

Jason had felt uncomfortably hot and his stomach twisted the whole night, but still he said he was glad Nico decided to go in the end. 

"I thought he would, but he didn't," Percy says. "Well. I don't think he did. He wasn't what anyone would call _talkative_ , but he didn't completely ignore me." He shrugs and pops a fry in his mouth. "I'm just glad he showed up, really."

"Did he eat anything while you were out?" Hazel asks. 

"He said he wasn't hungry." Percy gives a shrug and its obvious he has no clue about Nico's nearly non-existent appetite. Then again why would he know about that? He and Nico didn't talk much before Nico left the Argo II to deliver the Athena Parthenos during the war with Gaea, and in the years since then Jason's sure they haven't said more than a passing hello when they ran into each other at camp.

Hazel gives a frustrated huff. "I keep telling him he needs to eat more…"

"Don't worry," Jason says. "I make sure he eats at home."

Hazel directs a thankful look towards Jason before turning back to Percy. "You couldn't have spent all day in a café though, did you?"

Percy shakes his head no. "Nah, I ended up taking him to a small bookstore down the street."

"You took Nico to a bookstore?" Jason asks. Of course Jason knew they'd gone, he'd just assumed Nico was the one who'd suggested it. Somehow the fact that it was Percy who'd come up with the idea sits unwell with Jason.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, me in a bookstore, go figure, right? But, I don't know, he seems like the kinda kid who likes them so…"

Jason doesn't comment but he's honestly quite surprised. He didn't think Percy could be thoughtful like that. He's more than aware that although Percy can be pretty dense at times, he is honestly more perceptive and intelligent than he lets on, because taking Nico to the bookstore was a brilliant idea. Nico's dyslexia isn't a bad as some of the other demigods so he does enjoy reading every now and again. But even if he hadn't liked reading, browsing through the books would have given them both something to do and taken the pressure to talk away.

"I didn't get much out of it. I picked up a book because I thought it said 'Real Fun' but Nico corrected me telling me it said 'Funeral'," Percy says, rolling his eyes. "But I think he enjoyed himself."

"That's good to hear," Hazel says earnestly. 

Percy turns to Jason. "He didn't say anything to you did he?" And the look on Percy's face isn't anything less than eager hopefulness that he's doing right by Nico. Hope that Nico didn't hate their time together yesterday. Hope that he won't be pushed away.

"No," Jason says, feeling like he's telling a lie. "He didn't say a word."

* * *

"Come on, Nico," Jason says, back at their place. 

"No."

"It'll be fun."

"Famous last words, Grace," Nico says, raising an eyebrow. "I spend enough time in the underworld to know."

Jason rolls his eyes. "At least keep me company then."

Nico shoots him a clearly unimpressed look, but leans onto the counter anyway. He scrunches his nose a little looking past Jason at the array of vegetables on the counter opposite. 

"If you keep making faces like that your face'll freeze," Jason says.

"Oh, shut up," Nico says, with a hint of affection in his voice as he shoves Jason. That little amount shouldn't be enough to make Jason's heart flutter like it does, but it is. His mind thrums with the knowledge that Nico touched him voluntarily, even for just a brief moment. 

After Jason's encounter with Hazel and Percy he'd gone to the store like he said he'd planned to. He'd not planned on buying so much, but really he should have known better than to buy groceries after pulling two training shifts back to back with only one break in between. His stomach had driven him through the store. Everything had just looked so good, and it was on sale! How could he say no a sale-- a buy two get one free sale at that!-- he couldn't.

So at least they'd stocked up on enough junk food they'll never have to worry about spending a dollar per topping on frozen yogurt ever again when they order at two in the morning.

Besides, it'll be good to get an actual home cooked meal in them instead of ordering in yet again. When he was younger, like when he was a little kid younger, the thought of being able to eat out all the time was great, and for a while it was! But eventually Jason found he needed something to cut through all the grease and salt. He hates celery but he doesn't think he ever ate so much in his entire life than he did the third week of living by himself.

"Here," Jason says, handing Nico the laptop. "If you're not going to help me cook, you can help me by telling me what to do."

Nico fumbles with the laptop for a moment, nearly dropping it once, nearly giving the both of them a heart attack, but saves it in the end. 

"Chicken bacon dumplings?" Nico checks the recipe and when he wrinkles his nose in disgust Jason knows he's looking at the part about vegetables. "Why would you put vegetables in a recipe called 'chicken bacon'?" Nico mutters under his breath. 

"It'll be good," Jason says.

"Yeah, if your tastebuds are broken-- which yours are."

"You can't live off nothing but order in and things you can put in the microwave."

"I eat fruit," Nico fires back.

Jason shoots Nico a look that clearly says he's not impressed. When most of your diet is microwavable and bit of fruit here and there isn't enough to be considered healthy, and definitely not enough to be used in an argument about eating habits. 

"Sometimes," Nico concedes under Jason's withering stare, turning back to the laptop. He scrolls down to the directions which Jason hopes are straight forward enough for him to follow. "It says you have to put the bacon in a skillet to cook it," Nico tells him.

Jason turns on the stove and gently lays the strips of bacon into the pan, earning a satisfying sizzle immediately. It doesn't take long for the heavy smell of smokey meat, almost like that of a barbecue in the summer, to fill the air. As the grease splatters and pops when Jason tries to flip the bacon over, he can't help but notice the hungry look on Nico's face. 

Bacon does that to people, he supposes.

"Okay, what do I do with it now?"

"Uh," Nico looks back to the laptop and taps impatiently at it for it to wake back up. "You crumble it."

"With what?"

"Your hands? I don't know; you're the chef."

Jason ends up crushing it between two paper towels, which also drains the bacon of most of its grease. After that, Nico informs him that has to cut up potatoes, onion, and the chicken, and then fry it in the bacon drippings from earlier. Surprisingly, Jason doesn't cut off a finger, nor does he burn himself. Pretty impressive if he did say so himself.

"It is impressive," Nico agrees, a wry and sarcastic grin on his face. "You've gone from maiming yourself with a stapler to the next master chef."

"I was _two_ , Nico."

"And yet everyone else escaped their childhood unscathed by office supplies."

Next, Jason has to pour in some chicken broth, season it with chicken seasoning, because they're going for that super chicken taste, salt and pepper. He's about to throw some corn into the mix when Nico puts a hand on Jason's arm.

"I don't like corn," he says.

"It's good," Jason says, in a way not unlike how someone might tell their five year old who refuses to eat their vegetables that it's good. "You won't even taste it."

"Are you forgetting about the time Triptolemus turned me into a corn plant? This feels like cannibalism." Nico looks so serious about the cannibalism statement that Jason finds it hard not to laugh. He had forgotten that Nico seems to have an unfortunate tendency to be turned into various flora and vegetation. Nico would kill him if he knew Jason kind of wishes he'd been there to see it. 

"Yet you eat popcorn like its going out of style."

"That's different!" he says, lifting his chin in defiance.

"Okay," Jason says, "okay. No corn." As he sets down the can he suddenly remembers his earlier conversation with Percy and Hazel about Nico and the colour yellow. The thought of Nico in one of those bright yellow graphic t-shirts with a cartoon corn on the cob on it just strikes him as funny. He's sure his shoulders are shaking in an effort not to laugh. 

He can feel Nico's suspicious stare on him, but still he picks up another can and says, "We'll replace it with these snow peas."

Nico makes a disgusted sounding grunt in reply.

Jason starts to stir the mixture, forgets what time he started stirring at, keeps stirring just incase it hasn't been long enough and only when he starts to think maybe its burning, does he decide its time to move onto the next step. Pouring in some half and half, and adding the crumbled bacon, Jason brings it to a boil then sets it on aside, but keeps the burner on low.

He attempts to make the dough, but he has no clue what he's going. Nico tells him he's being too rough with it and that flour isn't supposed to be a fashion statement. Jason flippantly tells Nico to do it if he's such an expert and as it turns out if there's one thing in the kitchen Nico can do, it's make dough.

Flour covers Nico's hands and forearms in a fine layer. Jason notices that although Nico's skinny, he doesn't lack muscle in the slightest. He can see the strength in Nico's arms when he folds the dough causing little puffs of flour to fly into the air. Nico wipes the back of his arm across his forehead when he's done and it leaves behind a white streak. Somehow it suits him.

"My mom used to bake," Nico says quietly, and in way of explanation. "Bianca and I would help out whenever she did."

"Maybe you should take it up again," Jason suggests.

"Maybe," Nico says distantly. "Someday." Quiet stretches between them for a moment, Nico looking lost in thought. He dusts his hands free of the flour after another moment passes, and shakes his head as if clearing a bad thought. "Anyway, what do we do with it?"

"I thought I was the chef," Jason teases. Nico tilts his chin up and quints his eyes a little, to which Jason laughs. "We're supposed to put tablespoon sized blobs into our thing over there," he says with a vague gesture of his hand over towards what all he'd mixed together, still lightly boiling. "And then we just… leave it."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"I feel like something's missing," Nico notes.

Jason nods in agreement. "Do you wanna cook up some rice?"

"Do you trust me to do that?"

"No," he says with a warm smile. "But you're going to do it anyway."

"I will not," Nico says, but he's already grabbing the bag rice from under the counter. As long as one of them has an eye on the clock, they should keep from burning the bottom layer. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to cut up some of these peppers and whatever else looks good and fry them."

"Sounds dangerous. You sure you can do it?"

"Well, it's not a stapler so I think I'll live."

Nico rolls his eyes with a smug, crooked, grin tugging and the corner of his mouth, and turns back to the bag of rice.

Cooking together is fun, just like Jason said it would be. Nico keeps an unamused frown on his lips despite the warmth in his eyes. 

Jason doesn't know why Nico is so intent on seeming like he loathes doing everything, but he supposes that's what happens to a person when all they learn, after years of disappointment, is that they shouldn't get their hopes up or enjoy anything because it'll be taken; ripped away from them before they even know what's happened. This is what happens to a person when they've been dubbed outcast for things outside of their control.

He watches as Nico throws a small spoon of butter into the pot and a little bit of seasoning so that the flavours cook right into the rice. Should be good, if they can keep from burning it. 

Sometimes Jason wonders how Nico would have grown up if his sister hadn't died. Jason doubts he'd be as closed off as he is. Maybe he'd be less angry at the world. Maybe his laugh wouldn't sound so harsh and barking. Maybe seeing that light in his eyes wouldn't be such a rare occurrence, maybe that would be just how he is. 

Sometimes Jason wonders what life would have been like for Nico if he'd stayed in the thirties. Jason likes to think that maybe Nico would have been happier, that maybe his sister would have lived, but then he reminds himself that Nico likes boys. That wouldn't have gone down well at all, that's for sure. Would it really have been better for Nico to stay in the thirties? Jason can't say for sure.

Maybe it's selfish but Jason's glad Nico didn't stay in the thirties. If he had, Jason would never have been able to meet him. 

But whether or not staying in the thirties would have been good for Nico is a maybe, as is what he might have become if his sister hadn't died. Maybe this. Maybe that. In the end it doesn't matter who Nico would have become if his sister hadn't died, or if he was never brought to this time. What matters that he's here now, and he is how he is.

"What're you looking at?" Nico asks sharply.

"Nothing," Jason says quickly turning back to the peppers he's chopping. "But, pass me the salt and pepper would you?"

Nico passes the shakers wordlessly and goes back to stirring the rice as he waits for the water to boil.

"Sorry," Nico says. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's fine, Nico," Jason says, and it is.

Half an hour later, Jason and Nico find themselves seated at their usual spots on the couch, Jason on the left, Nico on the right, with a rare, hot, home cooked meal in front of them. They're sitting in such a way that their legs touch from the knee down. There's no way that Nico doesn't notice, but he doesn't move away. Jason doesn't either.

They eat together, quietly. Jason, as always, has more on his plate than Nico. Steam comes off his meal in thick billows as he mixes the rice with the broth from the dumplings. Each bite is warm and rich, filling in a way that it feels like its going to stick to his ribs. Even the smell is heavy in the air. It's cosy, and invites Jason's eyes to close like it wants to lull him to sleep.

Delicious.

Of course on the TV they have some show on, Jason thinks it might be that bad soap opera with that guy George who's having an affair with whoever that woman with the brown hair is--

"Janet," Nico says, knocking his knee against Jason's.

Jason jolts from the unexpected action. "What?"

Nico glances over to him, his mouth pulled dryly to one side. "Janet's the one who's having an affair on George."

"I know that," Jason says. It's a bad lie and they both know it. He just can't keep these names and faces straight. Still, Jason catches the small up turn to Nico's lips as he turns his attention back to the TV.

The soap opera, as they all are, is pretty awful. But, Jason finds he cares about whats happening more and more with every episode they catch, even if he can't remember the names of half the characters. He wouldn't admit it out loud to anyone but he thinks Nico likes the show more than he's willing to admit too.

Their legs still touch, and Jason's more aware of it than he thinks he should be. He tells himself he's only hyper aware of it because Nico never encourages physical contact. He allows brief, friendly touches, but unless you're Hazel, Nico usually pulls away from stuff like this. He doesn't like prolonged physical interaction with people, and yet he hasn't so much as batted an eye. He seems entirely at ease. 

Jason tries not to read too much into it, but still he keeps the knowledge tucked away inside his chest close to his heart. 

The couch seems to want to swallow them both whole, and Jason's considering letting it. He's content to stay here just like this. He's comfortable, filled with heavy, warm, comfort food, and in good company. He's lived here for a while but for the first time Jason feels like this place can be called home.

* * *

The next morning Nico's actually around when Jason gets up. Usually the kid gets up at the crack of dawn, or just doesn't sleep Jason thinks is more likely, and then heads out. So, it's a little odd that Nico's hanging around, not that Jason's complaining at all, because he's not. It can get a little lonely in the morning, if he's honest.

Nico's sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through the newspaper. He has a small bowl with a bit cereal in it that looks like Nico's neglected it for quite some time now, and a small, half eaten, branch of grapes on a plate beside him. On the other side he has a half full glass of orange juice. If not for Nico's shaggy hair, and all black outfit, save for his aviator jacket, he looks like he could be straight out of a classic 1930's movie. A little ironic, actually.

"Hey," Jason says, scratching the back of his head, and heading over to the coffee machine to make himself a cup, maybe also decide what he wants for breakfast.

"Hey," Nico replies without looking up from the newspaper he's got in hand. 

"Not going to the Underworld today?"

"Even my dad gives me days off."

"How generous of him," Jason comments.

"I know," Nico says with an overly sarcastic amount joy in his voice. "Maybe next year I'll get my birthday off."

"That was awful," Jason agrees, cracking an egg into a frying pan, having decided he wants toast and eggs for breakfast. "But you liked the party Hazel and I threw didn't you?"

"No," Nico says in a tone so serious Jason's not sure if he's kidding or not-- they'd put a lot of effort into Nico's birthday party! It hadn't been over the top or anything, that wouldn't have gone well; Nico would have probably left right away.

Nico, true to form, had threatened to leave when he saw everyone from the seven was there, but he couldn't say no to Hazel as she pulled her most heartbroken face and recounted all the hard work they'd put into this for him. Baking the cake, keeping the party a secret, and decorating had been easy, but she'd made it sound like the most laborious task any of them had ever done.

The hardest thing they had to do was figure out what Mythomagic cards Nico didn't already own. They hadn't been sure if the forums they'd been patrolling had been serious about how valuable these cards they ended up buying were but seeing the look on Nico's face when he unwrapped his cards told them everything. All of Nico's skinny being had rattled with excitement, his eyes lit up, and for a moment Jason swears he saw the same look on Nico's face that a ten year old would wear on his face when he sees his first magic show.

Jason checks over his shoulder and Nico's permanent frown hasn't gotten any deeper, so Jason thinks it safe to conclude that Nico didn't actually hate the little party they'd thrown.

"Do you have any plans for today?" he asks.

"I was thinking about going to pick up my pre-order."

"The sequel to that game you said you hated?"

"We reconciled," Nico says. "We sat down together, had a very lovely chat about why it felt the need to make things so unnecessarily complicated, and worked out our differences."

"So, you yelled at it until you beat it."

"I prefer the term _talked loudly at_."

Jason rolls his eyes and sits down across the table from him, with his breakfast. He can see now Nico's got the comic section. "Would you mind if I came along?"

Nico finally looks up at Jason from over the top of the newspaper. "It won't take long. I'll be there and back in no time."

"There might be something going on, you never know," Jason says with a shrug. "Might as well do something fun on your day off."

Nico shrugs and looks back to the comics in front of him. "I won't stop you."

From there they fall into an easy quiet. Jason reads the discarded comics Nico's already been through, and also the actual newspaper. The cramped type that newspapers use isn't good for his dyslexia but he likes to be updated on the world around him but also because sometimes there will be a, usually small, article on strange occurrences in the city. It can be entertaining to see how normal mortals see things through the mist. 

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there have been any unusual happenings around the city according to the mortals. Mostly theres talk about the weather and how its finally looking like it might be spring soon but that's about it. Or, what Jason's interested in anyway. He's really sick of this still-kind-of-winter business.

Jason cleans up after the both of them once he's done, and Nico gives a him small "Thank you". After he's thrown the dishes in the sink and filled them up with water to let them soak he goes to get dressed for the day. He finds himself standing in front of his closest for longer than usual. 

He doesn't have an extensive wardrobe, mostly purple Camp Jupiter shirts, a couple orange Camp Half-Blood shirts, and a couple regular people shirts of the generic kind, but that's about it. Oh, and a few hoodies. Eventually he manages to pick something out, something that doesn't look like he's trying too hard, even though he totally was, and goes back to meet Nico who looks like he's been ready for a while.

Nico offers his hand. "Let's go if we're going."

For one brief moment of stupidity Jason thinks Nico's offering to hold hands and in the next moment, after he's already grabbed onto Nico's hand does he have his moment of clarity. Too late to let go, Nico's shadow travelling them across town to the mall.

They appear by the front entrance, behind some bushes, and the instant Jason feels his feet touch solid ground, he lets go of Nico's hand. He reels and attempts to catch his breath. As he stands crouched over he contemplates telling Nico to warn him next time, but decides against it. He's sure Nico would raise an eyebrow and ask what Jason thought was going on. How would he explain that he was kind of hoping they could hold hands for no other reason than to hold hands?

The tight, uneasy feeling Jason always gets after shadow travelling subsides and together with Nico, they head inside the mall.

The mall isn't massive, but it's nothing to shake a stick at either. It's got all the big name stores, and then a bunch of smaller, lesser known stores that always have neat knickknacks in them. It's always busy, but the halls are wide enough that there's no feeling of claustrophobia. As with all malls, there's a lot of noise but not so much that Jason has ever felt he can't hear himself think. It's a nice place; one of the better malls Jason's ever been in.

Nico makes a beeline for GameStop.

As Nico waits at the cash for the man behind the counter to go into the back and grab his game, Jason busies himself with browsing through the game titles. He's not looking for anything in particular but he pretends he is, because for once it's not Nico who's on the receiving end of uncomfortable stares.

Gamers usually have a certain feel to them, and Jason lacks that feeling entirely. While he does play his fair share of games, he gives off their air of a typical football playing, idiot jock-- a blonde jock at that! Unfortunately, it looks like their demo system is down which means Jason can't beat them at their own game, so to say.

Its funny that a demigod like Nico, who should be out of place in the mortal world, fits in better than Jason does at times. Sure, people still shy away from him because Nico does, after all, radiate death, but they don't know that. They probably think it's just that antisocial vibe Nico gives off. Mortals don't avoid him like the plague, and they don't stare like demigods do.

Well, they do, but for different reasons. 

"Ready to go?" comes Nico's voice suddenly.

"That was fast," Jason comments, tearing his gaze away from the back of some game about a gang of thieves. 

Nico shrugs. "I told you it wouldn't take long."

They leave the store and almost immediately Jason feels a hand touch his shoulder.

His fight or flight instincts kick in and he turns, expecting to see a monster of some sort. Nico picks up on the sudden change in the air and immediately has Jason's back. Instead they're greeted with a dazzling smile of pearly whites, one that Jason could recognize anywhere, a smile that could only belong to Piper McLean.

"Hey," Jason breathes. "Gods Piper, you scared me."

"Hey, Jason," comes another voice as Piper laughs in good nature. "Hey, Nico."

It's Annabeth. Now, she's someone he wasn't expecting. She looks the same as ever, with her blonde hair tied up into a pony tail on top of her head, and her sharp grey eyes that always seem to have a storm behind them. She stands tall; confident and sure of herself, but without looking cold and harsh. She's inviting; as warm and friendly as the tan ever present on her skin suggests.

"I thought you were busy with studying," Jason says.

"What, I can't go out for lunch with a friend for a break?" Annabeth puts her hands on her hips and eyes him coldly for a second before a kidding smile appears on her lips.

"I didn't say that," Jason says holding his hands up in mock defence, a friendly, laughing smile of his own.

"Did you want to join us?" Piper asks, looking between them.

"Sure," Jason says, and then looks to the boy beside him. "Nico?"

"Uh," Nico starts, casting his gaze down, rubbing his nose awkwardly and looking a lot like he wants to say he can't because he's busy or has plans.

Jason knows Nico doesn't hate Annabeth, but it's tough for him to be around her. He likes her, not romantically of course, but as a person, he likes her. Which is probably really conflicting for him considering his jealousy. It would be easy for Nico to hate her. It would save him a lot of emotional suffering and it would even be sort of understandable considering she is dating the boy he likes. But Nico isn't like that, as much as he seems to act the part.

Jason had asked him once about it; why Nico doesn't just let himself hate Annabeth. "It wouldn't be fair to her," Nico had grumbled, crossing his arms and adverting his gaze. "To hate her for being happy." Jason remembers not expecting that answer out of Nico and feeling like he really should have seen it coming because Nico can be surprising in the best ways.

Still, Jason rolls his eyes. "Come on, you can't rush home and play your game all day." It might be tough for Nico to be around her, but he can't keep running from everything.

Nico hesitates, but then he gives. His shoulders sag a little and he says, "Alright."

Together the four of them head towards the food court. It's crowded as it's expected to be for the lunch time rush. Piper spots a table first, which is lucky for them, but it's Jason who has to clear the way to it. Some guy almost swipes it from them but in the blink of an eye Nico's shadow travelled into the spot beside the wall, shooting the guy a very unimpressed look. 

They all had to struggle not to laugh when the man almost dropped his tray in shock.

"Nice save," Piper says, sliding into the booth next to Annabeth who sits across from him.

"Thank you."

"So, Annabeth, " Jason says sliding into the last spot beside Nico. "How are your classes going?"

"Great!" she says brightly.

"As expected from a daughter of Athena," Piper says elbowing Annabeth in the ribs lightly.

Annabeth only rolls her eyes. "I have to work for my grades just like everyone else," she says. "But spring mid-terms are just around the corner and I think I'm actually starting to lose my hair because of it. It seems even the professors in New Rome forget we have other classes." She crosses her arms and gives a disgruntled huff. "I still have two essays to write and they want me to have the time to be able to study too? They must be delusional."

"Essays?" Jason says. "I thought you went in for architecture."

"I did, but just like an art major we have to take architectural history. It's really quite fascinating--"

"Annabeth," Piper cuts in. "I know you love talking about school but why don't we put it on pause for a minute so we can get lunch. I'm in the mood for pizza."

"Sorry," Nico says, managing not to sound sorry at all. "Did I hear you right? You want pizza. _From the food court_."

"Well, yeah," Piper says with a confused blink.

"No," Nico says flatly. "The pizza here doesn't deserve to be called pizza." He lifts his chin and narrows his eyes. "If you want pizza I'll get you some from a place that doesn't serve grease on a slice of bread trying to pass as crust."

"Nico takes his Italian food very seriously," Jason says.

"I see that," Piper says with a laughing smile pulling at her mouth. "I'll get something else _if_ you promise to show me a top notch pizza place, Nico."

The hesitation in Nico isn't missed by anyone. Jason sees him pull away from the table by just a fraction of an inch, but it's different than his usual avoidance of people. It doesn't seem like he's hesitating because he doesn't like Piper or any of his usual reasons, more than he's surprised that Piper would want to hang out with him in the first place.

"Alright," Nico says once the shock seems to pass. "Deal."

"Great!" she says and scoots out of the booth. "You can me and grab some grub while Jason and Annabeth save our spots."

"Oh, um, okay."

There's a bit of shuffling around but then its just Jason and Annabeth watching the two of them head off. Jason finds himself watching Nico specifically. He looks a stiff, uncomfortable with every step he takes. His shoulders are hunched instead of being squared like usual. Piper's the exact opposite, talking excitedly to Nico with an easy gait.

"You and Piper seem to be getting along," Annabeth notes.

"Yeah," Jason says, turning his attention back to her. "We met up for coffee the other day and, I don't know, we just sort of fell back into it." He shrugs.

"Oh?"

"We're not dating," Jason clarifies. "But we're talking again."

"Well, I'm glad," Annabeth says earnestly. Leaning forward and tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ear she says, "It's more than I can say for Percy and I."

"Oh yeah, he mentioned something about that when I ran into him the other day." Annabeth looks up when Jason says that. She frowns a little, looking mad. "Don't worry," Jason says quickly trying to fix his mistake. "He didn't say much, just that you two were kind of rocky, you know?"

She sighs. "I shouldn't be mad. It's true we are rocky."

"I'm sorry," Jason says. "I know it sucks."

"I don't know." Annabeth runs her hands through her hair and gives another angry sounding sigh like she's been over this a million times in her head. "I don't know, I don't know why we're like this! We love each other we do, but somethings just not right--"

"And you don't know how to fix it?"

"Yes!" She wrings her hands together. "I just keep thinking that if we had more time I could fix it but I feel like time's running out or something and… I don't know…It's just so frustrating! How am I supposed to fix something if I don't know what's wrong?" She clenches her hands tight and chews on her lip. "And Percy's always been a little dense at times, but I really have started to wonder if he's got anything in that head of his besides seaweed."

Annabeth has always prided herself on her wit, but relationships are tricky. They're messy, un-orderly and not at all like the relationships portrayed in those bad romance comedies. They're not something you can learn about from a book; there's no hand out you get that tells you what to do when your other half is showing IQ levels lower than a pile of rocks. It must be frustrating for her.

She looks up at him and gives a shy, apologetic smile. "Sorry, I shouldn't be complaining about this to you."

"It's alright." Jason gives her a soft smile of understanding. "You sound a lot like I did when me and Piper broke up. I don't know if over time we could have fixed whatever changed between us, but we're talking again, kind of anyway, and…" he trails off, shrugging again. "We broke up and it wasn't the end of the world."

"That sounds promising for us then," Annabeth says rolling her eyes.

"That did kind of sound like a bad omen, huh?" Jason rubs the back of his neck. "I guess I'm just trying to say I understand, and that if you do break up, it'll be okay."

"Thanks, Jason," she says. 

"No problem," he replies, but then quickly adds, "But Piper's better at the whole relationship thing than I am so if you want advice you should ask her."

Annabeth laughs. "So Piper's still the better half of you two, then?"

"I suppose she is," Jason says fondly.

Just then, Piper and Nico come back, both with their respective trays. Piper's got some salad and a submarine that looks delicious save for the lack of meat on it. Nico, however, is holding a very sparse and sad looking tray with nothing more on it than a black coffee and a muffin. As much as Jason wants to call him out on it, he knows he can't, so instead he settles for shooting Nico an unhappy look.

Annabeth and Jason go to grab their lunches, and are seated back beside Piper and Nico respectively in a flash.

Together they eat, and catch up with each other. Annabeth tells them all about her classes and how interesting she finds it. She tells them interesting little facts about famous buildings, the kind of ones that you tell at parties to seem worldly and intelligent, and are easy to remember. No one at the table shares her love for architecture, but it's good to see her so invested and passionate.

Piper tells them that there was an incident with a kindly one in the coffee shop the other day. The incident was easily dealt with and there hadn't been any real danger. No one had been around and the monster had been so weak she'd just hit it with a broom and it was gone, _poof!_ , just like that into a spray of golden dust. Disappointing really, because sometimes, with the life they've lived, they itch for a good fight; it helps calm the ADHD down.

Jason doesn't have anything to report on besides the progress of the new kids at Camp with their swordplay skills. The War Games they play are helping improve their abilities immensely because it gives real insight to how a real battle is fought, but they're not quite ready for more advanced techniques. It's unfortunate because parrying and blocking the same five advances gets dull after a while. 

Nico offers up what he's been doing in the underworld. He's mostly been organizing the legions of undead from the sounds of it. Occasionally he plays messenger for the Gods which Hermes isn't so happy about because thats his job, but then again you don't just say no to the Lord of Death. He briefly looks over to Annabeth and says her changes to Olympus look really great so far. It's such an honest compliment that no one was expecting that it takes Annabeth a second to recover and tell Nico thank you.

When they finish lunch they take to walking idly around the mall, seeing what there is to do. Shopping for clothes isn't something neither Jason nor Nico is into, and nobody but Jason is interested in checking out the sports wear. Piper wants to check out an art store for a bit which seemed like a good idea until the incense that was being used started to burn their eyes.

"Why don't we just go to the arcade?" Piper suggests.

"The arcade?" Jason asks. "I thought that wasn't open yet."

"It opened a few weeks ago."

"Aren't we kind of old for the arcade?" Annabeth asks.

"No way," Piper disagrees. "Not so old we don't know how to have fun."

Jason looks over to Nico to see his thoughts on the matter, and the excited look on his face settles the decision.

The arcade is loud and inky save for the neon lighting and glow in the dark elements. The pinball machines rattle and bang noisily. The beat from the dance machines thump deep into Jason's chest. There's some kids yelling in the distance and one of the machines is flashing brightly declaring that someone has won. Tickets spill out of machines with a quick _shick shick shick_.

"Incredible, isn't it?" Piper nearly shouts at Jason, just to be barely heard above the racket.

"That's one word for it," Jason shouts back. "I would have said _loud_."

"I have to agree with you, Jason." Annabeth yells.

"What did you expect?" Nico pipes up. "A quiet little corner were kids didn't act like wild animals?" And then, before Jason can comment, Nico shoves his bag from GameStop into his hands. "Hold this, please."

And just like that Nico leaves to check out what games there are briefly before latching onto one like gum stuck to a carpet. Digging into his jeans, Nico eventually pulls out a couple quarters and he rolls them into the machine. He takes to the console, and his hands fly over the controls, playing like he knows the game better than the people who designed it. 

Oddly, it's Annabeth who walks over to Nico first and starts talking to him. Jason can't hear what they're saying but Nico doesn't let up from his game. His lips move briefly like he's giving the shortest answers he can and he'll stand up straighter to shout something into Annabeth's ear when he has to, but his focus on the his game doesn't break.

He's in his element here, Jason realizes. This is the same kind environment Nico was trapped in for decades. Some of earliest memories must be of playing arcade games like this. Hades, Nico probably _does_ know that game he's playing better than the people who designed it if he played in the Lotus Hotel for what, 70, 80 years?

Annabeth says something to Nico, and his eyebrows furrow. Jason moves to step in, when Piper puts a hand on his arm. 

"Wait," she says.

Nico hits the pause button and looks at Annabeth seriously and then, steps aside to let her play. Within a minute their console is playing the sad tune of a GAME OVER screen.

He doesn't look angry with her, but smug. Smug like he's saying _I told you so_. Annabeth doesn't look too upset that she lost, in fact she's rolling her eyes and smiling brightly. She says something again to Nico and for a moment he doesn't move. Then a grin that can only be described as superior and confident makes its way onto his features and he says: "You're on."

Annabeth points to a game a few consoles down and off they go.

"We should follow them to make sure they don't get into any trouble," Piper says.

Jason nods in agreement.

By the time Piper and Jason wade their way through the sea of people, Annabeth and Nico have gained a small crowd that cheers both sides on to victory.

Nico's ahead, but Annabeth isn't doing poorly. Nico plays with obvious habits he hasn't been able to kick since he was a kid, like leaning just a bit to the right or left like he thinks it helps, but he gets the job done regardless. Annabeth plays purely strategically, as is expected of her. It's going to be a close game Jason would be paying attention to if he weren't so distracted by Nico himself.

Nico licks his lips in that way that he does, a quick flash of pink darting between his lips and back again. His pale skin is stark against the dim lighting of the arcade, his eyes dark and focused on the task in front of him in a way that makes Jason think the word _dangerous_. With nimble fingers his hands move deftly across the controls, guiding him closer and closer to that high score. 

There's a tittering group of girls hanging around pointing and making vague gestures towards Nico and openly staring. They're not being rude, this isn't like what demigods tend to do. They're simply curious, and no doubt taking notice of the fact that Nico is attractive.

Jason can admit that-- that Nico's attractive. Not in the way that models are good looking, but in an alternative way. His pale skin always a harsh contrast the the dark clothes he dons, but alluring in that it adds to the natural messy, unkept air about him. Skinny and lithe, but never to be mistaken for weak. He can come across as tall, dark and handsome with an added flair of mystery surrounding him, but minus the tall part. Nico is a lot of things, but tall is not one of them.

"They're not the only ones taking notice," Piper says, nodding her head over to a shy, younger looking boy with big glasses. 

Jealousy pools in Jason's stomach. Jealousy he knows he has no right to feel. 

"You look at him like that too, you know," Piper says. 

"Do I?" Jason asks.

"Yeah," Piper confirms. "It's written all over your face."

"Gods, has anyone--?"

Piper shakes her head no. "I don't think people are as attuned to this kinda stuff as much as I am. But you should see it, how you look at him." She turns to look up at Jason. The expression she wears is odd and Jason can't place it. Serious. Jealous, maybe? No, wistful. Serious and yet wistful. "You look at him like it's impossible for you to look at anyone else."

Jason feels that deep familiar tug yank at his chest, threatening to steal the air from his lungs. The feeling of longing boils up in him tries to spill over. It's painful, and a little confusing.

He likes Nico, so what is this he's feeling for Piper?

A loud buzzer and an automated voice crying out _Winner!_ , coupled with the cheering of kids from the small crowd around them distracts him. Looking over, he sees that Nico's beaten Annabeth at their game. Nico looks satisfied with himself and, surprisingly, Annabeth doesn't look upset with the loss. In fact, she looks quite pleased that Nico is indulging her instead of pushing her away.

She only turns to him and challenges him with a: "Two out of three?" Nico doesn't hesitate when he takes her up on her offer. Jason and Piper eventually leave them to their ever growing rivalry, in gaming this time instead of love, and play a few games of their own. 

They try some of the console games, but it turns out they both get very heated over air hockey. The puck rattles and bangs its way around the table to last it a life time of injuries, and though it's close, Piper scores the last point.

All in all it's a good day, a little exhausting, but good. Even if it does end up costing them an absolutely ridiculous amount of money. Never did Jason understand the true value of a handful quarters until he sees just how fast he can go through them. The day draws to a close. Piper and Annabeth go their own way after saying their goodbyes, and then Nico and Jason go theirs.

* * *

"Hey, Jason," comes Nico's voice, the second Jason opens his bedroom door the next morning. "Can you help me with something?"

"Can it wait? I just got up." Jason yawns on cue as if to prove a point. 

Nico starts and looks over to Jason, confused. "Really?" He's sitting close to the TV with hunched, sore looking shoulders, the bruises under his eyes dark and deep. His hair sticks up oddly here and there as if he's been running his hands through it all night in frustration. 

"You didn't sleep at all last night, did you?"

"I guess not," Nico says. He lets out a disgruntled sounding sigh and turns back to the TV. "I've been stuck on this puzzle forever."

"You should get some rest."

"As soon as I beat this."

Jason rolls his eyes and tells him to wait a minute so he can get ready. Nico just tells him to hurry up. 

After Jason goes to the washroom to brush his teeth and get dressed, among other things, he makes breakfast for both himself and Nico; nothing fancy, just eggs and toast-- it's the one thing he can cook without burning fairly consistently. 

"Okay, so, what's the issue here," he asks, sitting down next to Nico and setting a plate down next to him.

"I have to get from where I am to--" Nico pauses to break one of the egg yolks and dip his toast in, then brings up the map, "--all the way over there," he says around a mouth full of food. "Thank you, by the way."

"No problem. But that looks easy enough," Jason says. "Just go that way." He points to a very obvious route Nico's character is standing at the entrance of. "Simple."

"Please, Grace, do you think if it were that easy I'd be asking for your help?" Nico asks, shooting him a look so dry it rivalled the Sahara Desert. On screen the character moves forward and is instantly killed. 

"Oh. I see your problem."

"I can do most of it." He goes through the motions of moving his character up a section of the cliff Jason would have never though of looking at, and down through a series of traps. Up this way, over that way, across this, under that… Nico does it all flawlessly. 

"Each new obstacle builds off the last," Nico says. "Took me a while to figure it out, but it means this last section should be pretty straight forward, right?"

"Right," Jason agrees.

"Wrong," Nico says. "Suddenly you've got this block tower to climb up and move around. It's impossible." He straightens up and leans back against the couch. He gives Jason the controller. "You do it."

"Me?"

"Yes you," Nico says shooting him a side-eye glare. "You haven't been fighting with it all night; maybe you'll be able to figure this stupid thing out."

Nico tells him the basic controls, and Jason doesn't seen what's so hard about climbing a tower of blocks. The first couple steps up are easy enough to make, but a couple seconds later he sees why Nico's struggling with it. The tower rearranges itself with every step the player takes, and it's timed. If he doesn't move fast enough the character dies.

An adrenaline rush, is what it is.

Nico takes the controller back from Jason and runs him through the beginning bit of the run before handing it back to him. Jason tries once again at the tower, and fails.

"One more try," Jason says and beside him Nico gives a short snort.

Jason tries again, and fails. So, he tries again. And fails. He tries to tell himself he's just really bad at video games, and that having Nico sitting so close him isn't entirely distracting, but it's not working too well. He just keeps thinking about how if he moved his leg to the right they'd be touching, and he wonders if Nico would mind.

Just as he's thinking that, duh, of course Nico would mind, there's a slight weight leaning into him and the familiar feeling of someone resting their head on his shoulder. Jason nearly jumps out of his skin.

"Have we tried going over that block instead of under it?" Nico asks, either unaware of what he's doing, or simply doesn't care.

"Won't kill us to try," Jason says, trying to ignore the thumping in his chest; hoping that Nico hasn't noticed.

"Probably will," Nico says.

Jason tries going over the block, but of course he fails spectacularly. The pattern continues; failing and trying something new, forgetting what they've already done, failing again. Nico falls silent somewhere along the line. Jason doesn't say anything, in fear of making him move away. 

He doesn't know how many attempts he's given this puzzle but he lost count at an absolutely ridiculous number.

"Nico," he starts, but cuts himself off. Nico has fallen asleep, resting against Jason's shoulder, and, oh, Gods, Jason can't help how is heart fills with affection. He can't help how good it feels to know that Nico is comfortable enough with him to sleep this easily. 

Chewing on his lip, Jason contemplates waking Nico up and telling him to go to bed. It would be better for him. He can only imagine Nico's reaction to this when he wakes up; embarrassment and anger that Jason didn't tell him to get off. But, its hard to convince himself when Nico looks so at ease. 

Briefly, Jason entertains the thought of laying Nico's head down on his lap instead, because as nice as this is and as comfortable as Nico looks, he's bound to get a kink in his neck. Much to his own dismay he discards the idea. If he thinks Nico will be displeased with the current arrangement, Jason doesn't want to think about how Nico would react if he woke up sleeping in Jason's lap.

Jason settles in for the long run, not willing to give up this moment no matter how cranky Nico might get; no matter how sore or flat his butt becomes. Picking up the controller, he resumes the game.

He makes a little progress, to the point where he can see the top of the tower. It's frustrating, and he understands why Nico had yelled at the game that came before it, but it has a lot of aesthetic. The graphics aren't that great, kind of simple, but the world is amazing; pulls him right in. There's nothing generic about it, all highly original. He hasn't actually touched the story yet because of this infernal tower in his way, but he hopes it's worth it. 

Nico shifts in his sleep slightly, breathing in a deep, weary sigh. 

Some part of Jason wants to turn off the game and rest his head on top of Nico's; nap with him even though he's not tired in the slightest. Sleeping with someone is intimate, he thinks. Laying down beside someone, and together the both of you let down your guards, trust each other, feel safe enough with one another to close your eyes and just sleep… it's not something you do with just anyone. Especially if you're a demigod.

It would be nice to be able to do that with Nico. It would be nice to lay down and just sleep next to him, with him, because he can-- not simply because sometimes Nico needs someone there at night when the nightmares take hold and drag him back down to Tartarus. Jason doesn't mind being there to fight off the terrors for Nico, of course he doesn't, he just thinks another arrangement could be really, really nice. 

Then again, there's a lot to say for him to be the person that can bring Nico out of those nightmares. Nico doesn't like asking for help, and he must have known when he moved in with Jason that his nightmares would be exposed. That must mean something, right?

He finds himself wondering how Nico would fit against him. Would it be comfortable and easy, or is Nico made of too many sharp angles?

Nico stirs a little against him again, then relaxes. With being so close, with every breath Jason breathes in, he breathes in the faint scent of Nico. Just as Percy smells of the sea, Nico smells of shadows. It's a good aroma; a bit like a camp fire, a bit like soil after it rains, and vaguely like ash. 

Shadows and darkness are usually seen as something to be afraid of because something dangerous must be lurking in them. Jason doesn't fear them. How could he when he knows the shadows hold Nico within them? When Nico is as much apart of them as they are of him?

Back on screen he witnesses his character die for the millionth time and so, frustrated, he saves, and turns off the system. Luckily the TV remote is within reach, and so he tries to see if there's anything good on. For once there are some decent shows on for the next little while. So, no bad sit-coms for him or that soap opera he and Nico somehow keep managing to catch.

He picks one of those CSI type shows and is glad to see that he's only missed the first few minutes, the investigation's only starting. The show goes through its usual routine of thinking they've caught the killer, but theres still twenty minutes left of air time, so they obviously haven't. Jason shifts a little. His butt is growing sore.

He wishes he was sitting on the couch.

Nico's head slips from Jason's shoulder and it jars him out of his slumber.

"Gods, did I fall asleep on you?" Nico asks, his voice heavy with sleep. He moves over a little, rubbing his bleary eyes, putting some distance between himself and Jason. 

"You did." Already he's yearning to be close to Nico again. 

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Nico scowls a little, heat flushing his face like Jason knew it would. The stare he receives might've been intimidating, if Nico didn't looks so sleepy and well, for lack of a better word, _cute_.

"You looked comfortable," Jason says with a shrug. "Besides you needed the sleep." He stands and stretches for a long moment, working out all the tightness in his sore body. He takes their plates from earlier over to the sink, soaking them in a bit of water before heading back over to the couch where Nico's already crawled into his spot, laying on his side. 

"What's this?" Nico asks, nodding at the TV.

"One of those CSI shows," Jason says, sitting down. "You missed most of it."

"Mm," Nico hums lazily, already nodding off back to sleep. 

"Go to bed."

"No, I'm awake," Nico says sounding a lot like a five year old insisting they can stay up past their bed time. It shouldn't be as endearing as it is. "I want to see how they figure it out."

Nico only manages to watch a couple minutes more before his eyes start to fall shut. Tucked away in the corner of the couch, he tuns his head to hide his face in the crook of his arm. His black hair curls onto his face, and his thin frame raises and falls with each slow breath. He's sound asleep.

With a sigh, Jason gets up again and goes to their linen closest. He grabs a spare blanket and pillow. 

Jason throws the blanket over Nico, and gently slides a pillow under his head. Then, before he can stop himself, he smooths the dark curls of hair out of Nico's face. Nico can pull off the whole long hair look better than most, but it's a shame his bangs always cover his face because he's got these high, sharp cheekbones, and long, dark lashes, the kind some people would kill to have. Even his nose is rather good looking; long and straight with a slight upturn.

Jason's eyes flick down to Nico's mouth, and the urge to swoop down and kiss him becomes overwhelming. Abruptly, he stands up and leaves Nico be, his heart beating fast, and face flushed with colour.

By the Gods, how did he ever manage to fall this far?

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno when ill post part 3 but im working on it!!!


	3. Chapter 3

The next day is spent at camp. 

Nico and Jason had gone to camp together, but then went their separate ways saying they'd see each other at home for dinner. Nico is going to deliver something to Reyna for his father and then go see his sister. Jason on the other hand, has demigods to train.

The kids are getting better and better every time he sees them. They're no longer on posture, thank the Gods, and they're finally learning new ways to parry and attack, learning how to string longer and longer sequences together. It's all very stiff, very regulated, but that's just how Romans are. They need to be able to work together as one breathing unit because like Jason said before: one has to know the rules before they can break them.

Unfortunately it's rather dreary out meaning no ones much in the mood for training, and their ADHD rattled brains are even less focused. The camp might have regulated weather, but it doesn't totally negate whats naturally occurring. The air is thick, and the overcast clouds are dark and threatening to rain any minute. As much as Jason loves the rain he hopes the weather stays clear at least until training is over. If it rains now they won't get anything done.

He's in the middle of demonstrating a new way to disarm an opponent when someone comes yelling from the direction of the Berkeley Hills.

"Chimera!" the person yells in a panic. "Chimera!"

Jason's the first to react, his fight of flight reactions quick from years of close calls. Already running he calls, "Class dismissed," over his shoulder to his confused class. "And put your equipment away properly this time!" 

With long strides Jason meets the panicked demigod in seconds. Grabbing ahold of the boy's shoulders he kneels down on one knee to get a good look at him. He's young, no older than eleven at the most. He's banged up a little with cuts that a bandaid will surely fix, but has bruises blossoming on his arm and legs in large swirls of black and blue. 

"Hey," Jason says softly. "Hey, it's okay. Tell me what's going on."

"I'm so sorry," the kid rambles, with tears in his eyes, slipping down his face and a voice that's ready to break in two. "I'm so sorry, I should have stayed, I should have fought it but I couldn't! I ran away scared. I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"It's okay," Jason says. "It's okay, just--"

"No!" he says loudly, looking up at Jason, pleading for forgiveness. "It's not okay! My friend, I left him behind, I left him--"

"Where?" Jason asks, standing up. "Where is he?"

"Back in the woods by the hills," he says. "We have to save him!"

"We? Oh no," Jason says. "You're staying right here."

"Jason," comes Nico's voice out of nowhere, starling both Jason and the boy. "Let's go." Before Jason can ask where he came from and how he knows anything is wrong, Nico grabs his arm and they're shadow travelling. They appear in the forest. They being: Nico, Jason, and the boy whom Jason hadn't had time to let go of before Nico grabbed him.

Instinctively both Nico and Jason draw their swords, backing each other up. They don't speak for a second, listening for the sounds of a chimera, but nothing comes. There's only quiet save for the hushed weeping of the boy, and the sound of the wind blowing through the bare branches above.

"Take him back with you," Jason says to Nico. "He's going to get hurt here."

"Can't," Nico says shortly, his head turning suddenly to the right. His eyes narrow as if he's focusing in on something. "We don't have a lot of time. This way." Without another word, Nico leads the way.

Jason takes a moment to kneel by the boy again. "What's your name?"

"Travis."

"Alright, Travis, I'm Jason and I need you to listen to me, alright? Can you do that?"

Travis nods. 

"Great. I need you to stay close to me, or Nico, understand? We'll protect you."

"I can help," he says, trying to sound brave. "I'm a demigod. I can fight."

"I'm sure you can," Jason tells him. "Really, I'm sure you're very skilled, but if Nico says we don't have a lot of time, then it might be best we handle it."

"What does he mean we _don't have a lot of time_?"

Jason presses his lips into a thin line. "Let's not think about it. Come on, we've got to go." Jason stands and offers his hand to the boy. Travis takes his hand, and they walk quickly to catch up with Nico. 

A touch of water drips down onto Jason's cheek, and of course, of course, now of all times it would start to rain. All at once it comes down in heavy sheets. The uneven ground becomes slick with mud, making even walking a difficult task. The gnarled, twisted roots of the trees around them do their best to trip them up, make them fall flat on their face. Jason dreads having to fight in this.

"How did you know?" Jason asks Nico.

Nico doesn't look at him, only straight ahead. "I'll tell you later," he says and his eyes flick down to Travis momentarily, and then forward again. Nico's jaw sets. Jason steels himself for the worst. 

"It's coming," Nico says suddenly, stopping in his tracks, taking a fighting stance. 

"Get ready," Jason says. 

Even over the sound of the rain the sound of pounding footsteps from something, much bigger much heavier than they are, snapping its way through the trees and underbrush can be heard. A boy breaks through the brush first, hobbling and holding his left arm at an awkward angle. 

"Gabe!" Travis shouts, dropping Jason's hand and running after him.

"Wait!" Jason cries out, turning to stop them, but its too late. Behind him comes the chimera, all teeth and sharp claws. In an instant time slows down to a near stop. Jason's turning to defend himself, but he's too slow and he knows it. His arms are only half raised and the chimera's almost on top of him.

He can see right into the beasts mouth. He can see each pointed tooth made to tear at and rip away flesh. Already he's envisioning what'll happen to him: the lions head will sink its teeth into him first and the goats head will breathe its fire, burning him alive. Not the most elegant way he could have ever imagined himself dying. Distantly he hears Nico swear. 

The lions head is coming in to bite and Jason's bracing himself for it, waiting for the sharp pain to shoot through his body, but then Nico's in front of him, pushing him back with one arm and slicing through the air with his sword with the other.

Time speeds up again, as Jason feels Nico's hand connect with his chest. He falls back, rolling over himself. He hears the chimera yowl in pain and fall back. Nico's at his side pulling him up.

"Why is it so _big?_ " he's asking angrily. Nico's right, it _is_ big. Usually a chimera is smaller than a human, not any less dangerous, but at least its manageable size. This thing however, is huge, standing taller than Nico and rivalling Jason's own height. "And where did those kids go?"

"I don't know," Jason says in reply to both questions, now standing on his own two feet. He's more focused on the chimera. Its maw is bloody and ripped at the corners where Nico slashed it. The goat head turns slowly, and then, suddenly its taking in a deep breath and--

"Move!" Jason shouts, pushing Nico out of the way of the fire breath, the rain doing nothing to diminish the flame. Stumbling they duck behind a tree for a moment, knowing the safety won't last. 

They lock eyes and understand the battle plan instantly. Jason goes right, while Nico goes left. Beneath his feet Jason can feel the ground rumble as it splits open to release the army of skeleton soldiers under Nico's command. The chimera knocks them down easily, breaking through their armour, and crushing bones with a single swipe of its paw, but Nico's soldiers are unrelenting.

Jason thanks the weather for being awful only because the air around them is taut with electrostatic energy waiting to be released. It's easier to summon lighting bolts this way and drains his energy less. He'd like to keep that as his last resort though, because what if its not enough to take this thing out and leaves Nico to fight by himself?

With great sweeping arm motions he directs the air currents knock the chimera off its feet, and hopefully onto it's back. He wants to expose its belly and give Nico a chance to stab it while his skeleton army holds it down. Jason manages to knock it over but the chimera is smarter than it looks, rolling with the momentum and lurching for Nico who slips in the mud and narrowly dodges out of the way.

"I can't get close to it!" Nico shouts and Jason can understand why. The thing has three heads to worry about; that of a lion, a goat, a the snake on the end of its tail. It's impossible to sneak up on it without one of the heads noticing and attacking.

The lion and snake head can be dealt with easily enough, Jason thinks, but its the fire-breathing goat head that needs to be removed from the equation. 

Nico throws a rock at the goats head, drawing its attention, yelling, "C'mon! Is that all you got?" The goat head rears and breathes its fire as the chimera leaps forward. Nico jumps back into a shadow and appears on the left, a little ways away. "Too slow!" he taunts before he turns and runs providing the chimera the distraction that Jason needs. 

Jason chases them, right on their heels. The snakes head is too distracted by Nico to pay any attention to Jason which is a lucky break. When he's close enough he slashes his sword to the right. He cuts the tendon in one leg, but misses the other. Still, the chimera yowls in pain, rearing up on its hind legs. Both the snake head and the goat head finally take notice of him. Quickly, Jason dodges out of the way, rolling to the side as the snake aims to bite and the goat breathes fire.

"Jason!" comes a voice beside him.

"Travis?" Jason says incredulously. "Why didn't you keep running and go to camp?"

"You said to stay close!"

It's a wonder this kid made it to camp after Lupa was done with him. It really is.

Jason bites back a myriad of beginnings to what would be lectures on how if you have an injured companion and you're not going to stay and fight _you keep running to get them help_. Instead, Jason scrambles to his feet and pulls Travis up by one arm saying, "We have to go!"

"Gabe's injured!" Travis argues, wriggling free of Jason's grasp, and pointing to his friend who's leaning against the tree. Gabe's eyes are closed, his skin looks sickly pale and clammy with sweat. His left arm is bent in a way that's hard to look at, and his breathing is laboured. Yeah, he's not going anywhere by himself any time soon.

"Shit," Jason mutters under his breath.

"Jason!" Nico yells. "I can't distract it forever!"

"Shit," Jason says again more loudly. He keels down on one knee and places a hand on Travis' shoulder. "Travis, I need you to stay here with Gabe, okay? I mean it."

"You need help! I can help! I won't run away again!"

"You can help by listening to me, and staying right here." Then Jason's rushing back into the fight.

The chimera isn't as quick with its left ankle tendon slashed through, but that doesn't stop its relentless chase. The goat head breathes its fire, leaving long lines of scorched earth and trees. The snake tail spits venom whenever one of Nico's skeletons get too close, dissolving the bones instantly and Jason doesn't want to think about what would happen to either of them if they got too close. 

Jason's been avoiding this, but its their only option at this point. Nico's growing weak from his excessive shadow travelling, and even weaker from continually pulling the skeleton army out of the ground. His reactions are growing slow and the chimera is getting closer to Nico than Jason would like.

Using the air around him as if they were stairs, Jason gets to a vantage point atop a tree. The air is thicker here. Thicker, and charged with more than enough electric energy for Jason to use. Raising his arm up in the air Jason concentrates on gathering the static in the palm on his hand, bringing it together, making it dense, making it powerful. 

The air cracks with energy. Jason takes aim.

"Nico!" he yells.

"Make it count, Grace!" Nico shouts back, shadow travelling out of the way.

Jason throws the bolt of lightning with all his strength, hurtles it down towards the monster. At the last second the chimera is able to avoid a direct hit, but the ground explodes beneath its feet. Rocks and large chunks of land are sent flying, nearby trees splinter and explode. The resulting _BOOM!_ is loud enough that Jason loses his hearing.

Staggering against the tree from exhaustion, Jason desperately looks around for the chimera.

He spots it, laying on its back, writhing in pain. Bounding out of the tree Jason sees his chance, but his legs are unstable under him and its less like walking down well spaced stairs and more like stumbling down the Great Wall of China. As long as nothing else happens, he tells himself, if he can just stab it right in the heart and send it back to where it belongs, he can end this and get Gabe the help he needs. 

His ears ring loudly and he doesn't hear the battle yell of Travis, running quickly on his little legs towards the chimera passing Jason. In his up raised arms he's got a small dagger. This kid can't be thinking he can kill the chimera can he? He can't be. _He can't be_. Jason _told_ him to stay put. _Why was that such a hard order to follow?_

Behind him, Gabe is using all of his strength to catch up to Travis. Then, with his good arm, Gabe grabs Travis by the back of his shirt and yanks him back onto the ground, but its not enough to stop his own momentum. Gabe trips over an exposed tree root and falls, hands over heels, sliding and rolling in the mud towards the chimera.

Behind the ringing of his ears Jason hears Nico yell, "Damn it!"

But it's too late. Gabe collides with the chimera and the snakes head rears up. Just as Nico appears to slice the snakes head clean off, it sinks its fangs into Gabe's shoulder. Nico's sword comes down but it's too late, it's too late, the damage has been done. The venom is already coursing though Gabe's veins. 

Nico swears loudly, grabbing Gabe by his shirt and shadow travels away.

Jason reaches the chimera and stabs it clean through the heart. It explodes into a spray of golden dust and that's the end of that.

He stands there for a moment, breathing hard, with ringing ears, and aching muscles. Then, just as he's about to relax and sheath his sword, he hears Travis yelling his name. Travis points behind Jason and he turns, brandishing his sword, expecting another monster. What he sees is worse: Nico on his knees with Gabe in his arms. 

Travis scrambles past Jason and reaches the two demigods first. A dark thought hangs over Jason and settles in his stomach, and he hopes he's wrong.

"Gabe!" Travis is shouting. "Gabe!" He drops to his knees beside Nico, crying.

"Nico?" Jason asks, dropping down beside him, glancing to the limp boy in his arms. "Nico is he…?"

Nico looks up to Jason, his jaw set, eyes serious. He doesn't need to say anything. Nico is the son of Hades; he is no stranger to death. The look in his eye can only be described as a grim, but resigned, understanding. There is only acceptance. Nico knows better than anyone that death cannot be undone. 

"Gabe!" Travis cries loudly. "I'm sorry! I just wanted to be useful! I thought if I killed the chimera you would forgive me for running away! I came back for you, now its your turn to come back to me! Gabe! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He heaves great sobs, his whole body shuddering with each intake of breath. "It's all my fault!"

Jason and Nico stay silent, letting Travis grieve his friend, grieving the loss of a life in their own ways as well. 

"Hey," Nico says quietly once Travis' sobs subside. "I can let you speak to him, if you'd like."

"R-really?"

"Really. But why don't we go back to camp and give him a proper burial first?"

Travis nods.

And so they go back to Camp. It's slow moving, as both Nico and Jason are exhausted from the fight, and they have a body to carry, but they arrive, ambushed by Reyna who wants to know what exactly happened-- she heard the thunder from Jason's lightning bolt all the way back at the senate house. Nico and Jason promise to explain, but later because they would like to bury the boy first. 

Nico and Jason don't bother with cleaning themselves up first, instead notifying the friends and family of Gabe of the tragedy. Once everyone is gathered they give the boy a proper burial with Nico leading the procession. Nico delivers a lovely speech in place of Gabe's parents and Travis as both parties are too stricken with grief to do it themselves. 

Afterwards Nico talks to both Travis and Gabe's parents-- well, Gabe's mom and step-dad. Says that if they would just give him a little while to clean up and rest he'd gladly allow them to speak with Gabe's spirit, get closure and say goodbye. Of course they agree.

"You should come too," Nico says to Jason, splashing water on his own face. "I think they'd appreciate you being there."

Jason's hesitant, but in the end decides to go. If Nico says it would help for him to be there, well then he won't argue. Nico is, unfortunately, the expert on death. In more ways than one.

"We have to go to McDonald first," Nico says when they meet up with Travis and Gabe's parents again.

"McDonalds?" Gabe's mother asks, baffled and more than a little insulted. " A trip to McDonalds is hardly appropriate."

Nico smiles gently and manages to keep from looking too creepy. "It's apart of the process, ma'am."

Colour flushes her cheeks. "Oh."

Everyone links hands. Nico gives a brief warning that shadow travel isn't the most pleasant, but that's an understatement, and not nearly enough warning. Everyone but Nico is reeling and gasping when they appear in the empty McDonalds parking lot. Gabe's mother is fanning herself much in the way that Hazel does and Gabe's step-father looks positively green.

Nico steps inside the McDonalds to buy a happy meal and a couple large drinks of Coke and they go behind the McDonalds to a secluded little area where no one will see them. Gabe's parents adopt the terrified look most everyone does when Nico summons a couple skeletons to help dig the hole they'll need, but again Nico assures them this is all apart of the process. 

"Thank you," Nico says to the skeletons once they've done their job. They collapse back into the ground. Nico pours the Coke into the grave saying: "Let the spirit of Gabriel Bradshaw taste again. Let him rise and take this offering. Let him remember." He continues, chanting in ancient Greek, pouring out the cups of coke with each line. When he finishes he turns the happy meal bag upside down and dumps the burger and fries into the pop-filled grave. The liquid in the grave bubbles and froths, and eventually, a single, transparent figure appears. Gabe.

Gabe opens his eyes and looks around.

"Gabe!" his mother cries running towards him in tears.

"Mom!" he says back.

From there theres a lot of crying, and a lot of "I love you's" said. Gabe says he doesn't blame Travis for his death, and that he knows Nico and Jason both were doing their best to save them. 

Jason's glad to see both Gabe and his family getting closure, getting the chance to say goodbye to one another. He doesn't think many demigod families get to say goodbye at all, and its good to see that at least one family is able to have this moment.

Nico stands beside Jason a little ways away from the reunion of sorts. He's chewing on the inside of his cheek and has his arms crossed uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Jason asks.

Nico shakes his head refusing to look up at Jason. "Nothing. Bad memories."

The name _Bianca_ flashes through Jason's mind and suddenly _oh, of course_. He feels bad for not watching his mouth and saying sorry seems like it might dig up more bad feelings so he thinks it would be best to leave it where it is. Regardless, that doesn't stop him from pulling Nico over and slinging an arm around his shoulders. Surprisingly, Nico doesn't pull away.

Jason looks back towards the family. "You did a good thing, you know."

Nico doesn't reply. Instead, he just presses close.

Gabe's spirit starts to flicker and despite how much his mother, step-father, and Travis want more time Nico says he can't hold Gabe here any longer. He has to go to the Underworld, as all people do. It's not so bad, Nico tells them, the Underworld that is. The Underworld has a poor reputation for being, you know, _the Underworld_ but really, he says earnestly, he works with his father down there and its not so bad. Dreary, maybe, but not awful.

Gabe's mother comes over and pulls Nico into a tight hug whispering "thank you" a million times. Nico looks panicked for a moment, then uncomfortable, but doesn't push her away. Instead he wraps his arms around her and hugs back. Even Gabe's step-father comes over to give Nico a strong clap on the back. 

It's inappropriate, Jason knows, but as he watches Nico interact with these people, so humble, so genuinely amazed that he's receiving gratitude from Gabe's family that he starts thinking about how inherently _good_ Nico is. 

Nico is so used to doing things and getting looked over, most notably whenever Percy was involved, that he was expecting that to be the case here, but it's not. Gabe's mother cradles his head between her heads and kisses his forehead, leaving behind a pink mark from her lipstick as she cries, and seeing the shock on Nico's face fills Jason with bright emotions that are hard to put into words.

Nico could have easily turned his back on the grieving family. He could have lied and said he didn't have the ability to raise sprits. But he didn't. He offered to do this solely because he knew this is what the family needed.

Jason has a feeling Nico knew that because at one point that was what he needed.

He hears Nico tells both Travis and the family that it was no big deal, he would have done it for anyone, and Jason doesn't doubt that. Nico would have because that's just how he is.

Gabe's mother and step-father come over to Jason and thank him for being there with Gabe, thank him for trying to protect him and for being here. He gets pulled into a hug, but doesn't get the kiss on his forehead, which he's not too disappointed about. 

It's in the middle of this hug, where Jason looks over at Nico who's kneeling beside to Travis, talking quietly with one arm around his shoulders in comfort, telling him that one of the most creative demigods he knows shares his name, that Jason remembers asking himself how he could have fallen so hard for the son of Hades.

And the answer is: Easily. 

How could he not?

* * *

It takes a couple days for camp to settle down after the chimera incident. Reyna's out patrolling, marching with hard footsteps as if she's trying to pound new ground for New Rome to stand on with her own two feet, on a mission to figure out how a chimera got on the grounds without Terminus alerting them to the situation.

So far, she has no leads and she's angry.

Usually, children of the gods of war, Mars and Bellona, are forces to be feared. Frank is someone to be feared in battle, but he's such a softie outside of battle he's kind of an exception. Reyna, on the other hand has always been a force not to be clumsily reckoned with and now that she's on the hunt nothing can stop her. 

The campers have learned to stay out of her way. When they see her coming, even if they're not doing anything wrong, they try to act as unsuspicious as possible. Sometimes they end up looking even more guilty, causing Reyna to crack down on them and then find they weren't doing anything wrong, in turn making her yell at them to quit acting like the worlds worst criminals.

"Get some rest," Jason says, "the both of you."

Reyna wipes her brow. "I cannot simply rest, Jason. It is my _job_ as praetor to protect this camp and if there is a break in our guard--"

"I know," Jason says, holding his hands up. "I know, but working yourself to the bone won't help anyone." He turns to Frank. "And you're not looking any better."

"Gee, thanks," Frank says, rolling his eyes, but there's no malice behind his words. He runs a hand through his air and breathes out slowly as he tilts his heads back, looking exhausted. The bags under his eyes rivalling Nico's.

"A couple hours of sleep won't hurt anyone," Jason says. "And if anything happens I'll be able to handle it."

"If anything happens," Reyna says, giving into the tiredness that has seeped deep into her bones. "You'll report to me or Frank immediately."

"Nothing will happen," he assures. "Now go. Get some rest."

Both praetors leave the senate house, locking up behind them, and trudge towards the barracks where they can get some well deserved sleep. Jason is left on the front steps to decide what to do next. And, well, there's not much to do. He's not praetor anymore so he can't fulfil any duties for Reyna and Frank in their stead while they sleep.

Well, he could, but he really shouldn't. New Rome is only to have two praetors and it is their job to fulfil their duties. If Jason were to step in without invitation, it would be an insult. It would be like he was saying neither Frank nor Reyna are capable of doing their jobs-- that he could do it better. 

He had been good at his job, but he handed it over to Frank and he doesn't regret it. Frank's a born leader, even if he doesn't see it in himself sometimes, and even if he is a big softie at heart. Who says a softhearted person can't be a good leader? If you asked Jason he'd say it was actually an asset. It makes a person empathetic; able to _relate to the people_ as the politicians say.

As he walks down the front steps of the senate house, he spots Nico in the distance with his sister Hazel. Jason goes to raise his hand and call out, but someone beats him to the punch. A loud and unmistakable, "Nico! Hazel! Hey!" is called, and as the underworld children turn heir heads suddenly to the right, Jason follows their gaze. Percy breaks from the crowd, his hand still half raised in greeting, and saunters over to them. He chats easily with Hazel. Yet, even at this distance, despite the fact that Nico looks a little sea sick, Jason can see how Nico's lit up just a little.

The chatter of New Rome around him keeps Jason from hearing what they're talking about but Percy shoves a thumb over his shoulder, probably asking if they want to hang out. Hazel shakes her head, but then points to Nico. A dark green wave of irrational envy washes over Jason as when he sees Nico nod his head stiffly in agreement to whatever it is Percy is saying. They wave their hands in parting before heading on their way. 

Hazel too dashes off to do her own thing leaving Jason a standing alone and feeling oddly dumbstruck by the sequence of events.

Jason was going to ask Nico and Hazel if they wanted to accompany him on a patrol around the camp, but it looks like he'll be doing that by himself. Maybe its for the best. Maybe he'll pick up where Reyna left off with trying to pound new ground for New Rome to stand on with his own two feet.

As it turns out, there is something satisfying about walking hard and fast, stomping heavily with every step. He feels like he's doing something of importance even though he's fully aware all he's doing is throwing a childish and unreasonable temper tantrum.

But being aware that he's upset for no reason does nothing to diminish his feelings.

Looking up he sees Piper in the distance. Part of him wants to call out to her, invite her to walk with him on patrol, but part of him is still being an immature child, expecting for her to run away on him before he can get a word out.

She turns her head away, and Jason finds himself rolling his eyes thinking _of course_ , but then she looks back and this time spots Jason. She lights up, a enormous smile appearing on her face. His heart does that thing it does where it aches for her. Its an odd feeling. Different than what he feels for Nico, but just as strong. 

"Hey Piper."

"Are you okay, Jason?" she asks.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, considering everything that happened with Gabe…" she trails off and in a near whisper she says, "He was just a kid…"

Jason doesn't let himself think about it. Doesn't let himself think about how Gabe's arm had been hard to look at or how _useless_ Jason felt when Gabe tripped. He'd been so close. If he'd not been so exhausted, or so slow-- so weak-- he could have saved Gabe's life. 

Piper touches his arm gently. "I know you tried to save him, Jason."

"I was right there," he says. "Right there." He starts walking again and Piper keeps pace with him. They just walk together in silence. Quiet moments like this are easy to share with Nico and Piper. Odd how that is, how if you're comfortable with someone silence can be so good, so comforting, when with anyone else its nothing but awkward.

"Where's Nico?" Piper asks after a moment. "He's usually with you."

"With Percy," Jason says shortly.

"Oh."

"Oh?" Jason asks, turning to glance down at her.

"Yeah. Oh."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering why you were sulking." She catches herself. "I mean... there's sulking, there's grieving, and then there's what you're doing which is some weird mix of both."

Jason lets a slow breath out. Piper can read him like an open book with large print and detailed diagrams. He's not sure if its a blessing or a curse yet. Piper stays silent; just waiting for Jason to form his thoughts and talk about whatever it is that's bothering him. Like always, she just knows what to do. Annabeth was right, she's still his better half. 

Funny how that is.

"I feel bad about it," he says finally. "I feel like I should be more upset about Gabe than I am, and I am upset, but Nico summoned his spirit for the family and I kind of got closure from that too. I didn't speak to him or anything, but just seeing him be able to say goodbye to his family was enough. Does that make sense?"

Piper only nods. Jason kicks a stray rock.

"As for the other thing well… let's just say Percy frustrates me."

"You'll be butting heads with him until you're both old and grey," she says, nudging him in the side with her elbow.

"Probably," Jason agrees.

Piper kicks a small rock over to Jason and he kicks it back. They continue passing the rock back and forth until Jason accidentally kicks it a little too hard, sending it far enough away that neither one of them wants to go over and get it.

"We might compete in nearly everything we do," Jason says, more thinking aloud than anything else, "but Percy's my friend. And it's not like he's doing anything _wrong_ \-- I just don't-- he has a lot to make up to Nico and I don't want him taking the easy way out. I don't want Nico getting hurt again."

"Percy has things to make up to Nico?" Piper asks.

"Yeah. He does. But it's a long story and Nico doesn't like it getting spread around. Sorry." A pause. "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing," she says, but her smile only grows. "It's just that… Nico must really trust you a lot, you know? He's so secretive and stuff and yet here you are telling me that you're keeping a secret for him."

"Of course I'm keeping it quiet," Jason says, standing a bit straighter and feeling marginally offended. He doesn't want to keep Piper in the dark, because he knows she wouldn't judge Nico for liking boys-- she hasn't outted him!-- nor would she go blabbing it across camp, but he's doing it because he respects Nico.

Piper shakes her head. "No, Jason, I mean, like, it's one thing for a person to tell you a bit about themselves and another to tell someone something private. Most people like to hear themselves talk and will tell just about anyone all about themselves, and then, if you know them enough to call them a friend, they'll let you in on things a little more private." She looks at Jason much in the way that she looked at him at the arcade. Guilt, or something that feels a lot like it, settles deep in Jason's chest. 

She turns away, focusing her gaze on the horizon. "Nico just isn't that kind of person. He doesn't like telling people about himself even if its just what his favourite colour is. And yet he told you something private, something he didn't want spread around, and believes that you'll keep his secret." She shrugs. "He trusts you."

The guilt in Jason's chest grows along with the uncontrollable feeling of something that can only be described as bright and entirely good. He's always known that Nico has slowly grown to trust him, but something about how Piper says it, how she says _"he trusts you"_ makes Jason's heart swell. There no other way to describe how he feels other than _good_.

"What about you," he ventures.

"Me what?"

"Do you have your sights set on anyone?"

"Why do you ask?"

Jason shrugs. "Curious." Well, he is, but he's also thinking that it's only fair for her to tell him. After all she does know all about Nico and, frankly, Jason doesn't like spilling the contents of his heart to the person that left him. He feels weird enough around her as it is; vulnerable. Exposed. Oddly hollow. 

"Maybe."

"Maybe? What kind of answer is _maybe?"_

"I didn't peg you for a gossip, Jason."

"I'm not!" he says indigently.

"Relax," she says with a kidding smile. "I'm just pulling your leg."

"Oh," Jason says, feeling stupid.

"But I meant it: maybe. I'm not sure if I like them, so…" she trails off with a noncommittal shrug. "It's beautiful out, isn't it?" Piper muses, changing the topic.

Their walk starts to turn with the perimeter of camp. The high noon sun shines down on them and a warm breeze blows gently. But the trees are still bare, and the snow stubbornly refuses to melt in some areas. Mostly it's kind of wet like spring, or, still-mostly-winter-but-might-soon-be-spring, always is. It's nice out, despite the thick smell of mud in the air, but Jason's waiting for summer before he starts calling it _beautiful_.

"I suppose so," Jason gives. He's not going to push the topic. He thinks he understands, after all there's something that tugs him towards her again that he can't put his finger on. He's not sure if its the remains of the feelings yet to fade away, or what they are. Not knowing if he wants them to stay or go is even worse.

They walk in silence for a bit. Jason finds it's not easy like it once was. Piper walks easily beside him, still watching the horizon. Maybe it's just him feeling the tension because of these stupid lingering feelings. Still, they walk.

His mind wanders. At first it's nothing more than idle musings; noting who's running to the colosseum, who looks guilty of letting in a giant chimera, and at that Jason thinks of Gabe. He was so young, _so young_ , and how terrible it must have been for Gabe's family to lose their son. Jason goes to think that he couldn't imagine something like that, but then he think better. No. He could. Nico and the seven of the prophecy are as close to him as his real family, Thalia.

He remembers that final battle, how they'd all barely scraped past death. It was incredible, really, that they all came out alive. Others hadn't been so lucky. And he thinks about Nico leading the funeral for Gabe, and leading the funeral for the Greek and Roman camps. It had been a sad, solemn affair both times as it should be.

Jason wouldn't be able to bear it. Losing them. He couldn't.

"Hey," Piper says. "What's wrong?

"Thinking about our last battle."

Piper's mouth presses into a thin line and her eyebrows knit together. "It's over, Jason."

"I know," he says, tightening his fists. "I know, but I was thinking about Gabe and I was thinking about the battle… I couldn't lose you. Any of you."

"None of us could," she says.

The silence is tight this time, the both of them consumed by their own memories.

"I think this is the kind of weather I like best," Piper suddenly says, with a sure decisive tone. "Everything's gross, kind of wet and I'm never sure if I should be wearing a jacket or not, but I look around and just see endless potential-- I see," she glances over to Jason, "I see a chance for something new. Is that weird?"

Colours dance around her eyes like they always do, but Jason decides they look decidedly green; the colour of spring.

"No," Jason says. "It's very you."

* * *

As Jason promised, nothing happened. No monsters broke through the guard, nor were any demigods breaking any rules or even looking like they might be thinking about it. Honestly, if there was a mole within the camp Jason figures they would have flown the coop by now. Regardless, he and Piper had done a lap or two around camp and all was well.

Well, all was well except for the second bout of jealousy Jason felt seeing Nico and Percy together in a small bakery. Piper had laughed and said she hoped he was as protective of her as he is Nico. Of course he said he had been, and it was true. In fact, he still had a lingering need to protect her within him. Not that she needed to be protected.

Frank and Reyna had come back from their nap and Reyna had wasted no time in getting back to work, drilling Jason for all the details for everything that happened while she was, as she put it: "momentarily out of commission". Frank only shot him an apologetic little smile. After her interrogation, Jason had gone home, arriving well after dinner time.

Jason throws himself into his spot on the couch feeling exceptionally drained of all energy. Patrolling around camp had been a breeze, well needed exercise, but Piper tagging along with him had sapped him of all power. He'd appreciated her company, he had. He would have preferred her be there than not, but his conflicting emotions about her never let up; didn't let him relax and let him enjoy her company. 

He might be more Greek than he originally planned for, but he's just as awful as any Roman at sorting out his feelings. He's not upset about the break up with Piper, he accepted it a long time ago. Don't his feelings towards Nico prove that? He's sure that he feelings towards the child of the Underworld aren't simply those of a rebound. So what's this ache he has for Piper?

He thinks he should tell Piper maybe he's not ready to be hanging out with her again, that its too soon, or too much. The thought triggers the all too familiar hot twist in his stomach that screams: _No! No!_

Jason closes his eyes and focuses on the couch. Yes. What a lovely couch. He has such a straightforward and simple relationship with this beat up old thing. It waits patiently for him to come home no matter how long he's gone, whole heartily accepts him even after he's accidentally spilled water all over it, and even after that mysterious tear on the right arm appeared. Yes. What an exquisite relationship.

Before Jason is able to catch himself, he falls asleep.

He dreams of Camp Half-Blood-- the bonfire, the sing alongs, the games of capture the flag-- and, before he has a chance to really enjoy it, the scene shifts. He dreams of the endless sea and sky that seemed to stretch on forever as they flew to Greece on the Argo II. The wind blows vigorously through his hair leaving him breathless. It smells fresh here, unlike it does in the city. He feels powerful here. Strong. This is his element. This is where he belongs. 

Beside him stands Piper. Her hand is in his. The feeling is familiar. Comforting. She belongs with him and he's sure of that. So sure. The sun reflecting in her eyes making the colours dance like that of the stained glass of church windows and he thinks she's the most beautiful girl in the world-- even if she says she's not.

Again, the scene changes and this time Jason's walking on air-- literally-- up to the tallest mast of the Argo II. Nico sits here, curled into himself, with his knees pulled up to his chest. His body language clearly says: _Not now, Grace_ , but that doesn't stop Jason from sitting next to him. For a while they simply sit silently, watching the birds soar past.

Suddenly, Nico takes Jason's hand in his. Jason turns his head in shock, and is even more surprised to find Nico kissing him. 

Its beautiful. Breathtaking, even.

They kiss slowly but expertly. Passionate and deep. Nico makes the most wonderful content sounding sighs against Jason's lips. Their hands wander and touch. Gentle palms trail up upper arms, and curious fingers dip under hem lines.There's nothing but smooth skin and gentle eager noises from the both of them.

"Jason," Nico breathes between kisses, "Jason." He moves to loop his arms around Jason's middle and just presses close. They both tumble backwards. Jason hardly notices that they're suddenly laying in a bed. Nothing matters as long as he can continue kissing Nico like this. 

"Nico," Jason whispers back. "Nico."

Nico got a skinny leg astride Jason's hips and with little fervent noises his tongue swipes across Jason's bottom lip. The kiss grows messy, not like either of them care, and Jason's got one hand curled in Nico's dark, smooth hair. His lips burn every time Nico pulls away no matter how briefly, and is only remedied by another press of Nico's mouth to his.

Just as Jason's thinking nothing could ruin this moment-- not another prophecy, not their teeth accidentally clacking together, not someone walking in on them-- nothing!-- Nico whispers the worst thing imaginable:

_"Percy."_

Jason pushes Nico away by the shoulders, jerking away. He doesn't miss how Nico reaches blindly for him-- no. Not him. Someone else.

"Percy…?" Nico asks, looking so fragile and so heart wrenchingly heart broken that Jason can't stand to look at him. He turns away, closing his eyes, and when he opens them again he's lying on the couch, covered in a thin sheen of cold sweat, wide awake.

His heart pounds uncomfortably in his throat. Laying there for a moment, he relays the dream over again. It had felt so real… Each kiss and touch had felt like it had really been happening and Jason's surprised to find just how badly he wishes his dream had been a reality.

The image of heartbroken Nico flashes through his mind. The picture had been so clear it made him hope that it wasn't one of those prophetic dreams they're prone to having. 

In an attempt to give himself a distraction Jason looks around the apartment. The clock on the stove is telling him that it's quite late at night, but the lights are still on. Strange. Did Nico not come home? No, he must have. Then why didn't he turn off the lights?

Turning off the lights, Jason heads to bed. He's just about to get under the covers when theres a loud crash from the kitchen and a few creative swears.

"Nico?" Jason calls out. The lights in the kitchen flip on and causes a soft glow under Jason's door.

"Yeah. Sorry, Jason," Nico calls back. 

Jason hesitates for a moment. Does he really want to go out there? No. He doesn't. He just wants to crawl into bed and wake up tomorrow free of all this irrational jealousy. Maybe if he's lucky he'll wake up feeling happy for Nico. 

Unfortunately he doesn't have the chance to crawl into bed and do just that. There's a soft knock at his bedroom door and Nico's quiet voice asking, "Jason? Are you awake?"

He could keep silent and pretend he didn't hear, but the words, "I'm awake," are jumping out of his throat before he can stop them.

Nico opens the door and pokes his head in the door asking silently if he can come in. Jason only nods, and sits down on his bed, gesturing for Nico to sit wherever he'd like. Nico stands by the door awkwardly for a moment before deciding to plant himself in the chair by Jason's desk, pulling his legs up to his chest. He chews uneasily on the inside of his thumb.

"What's up, Nico?" Jason finally asks.

"I hung out with Percy today," he says shortly.

"Did you?" Jason asks, faking ignorance. "Is that why you're back so late?"

Nico nods. "He took me to this little bakery and we hung around there for a bit and I don't know how we started talking about it, but I said I hadn't seen Finding Nemo and Percy got all rilled up-" Jason lets out a laugh, Percy would get riled up over a movie about fish, "-and decided I need to see this movie."

"Did you like it?"

"Yeah," Nico says with a shy smile that just barely touches his eyes. 

Sitting across from each other in darkness like this feels sort of intimate, like they're the only two people left in this quiet, sleeping city. Part of Jason wants to reach over to Nico and pull him into his arms, just so that he can feel how Nico fits against him. Maybe they could watch a movie together, sitting close beside each other with Nico tucked under his arm, pressed close against his side. Maybe Nico could even lean his head against Jason's shoulder...

Jason's dream bolts though his head again and he adverts his gaze to the floor. He can't look Nico in the eye. Having a crush on him is one thing, but dreaming about heavily making out with him feels like he's overstepped a boundary; like he's taking advantage of Nico's friendship and trust. 

Silence hangs between them for a moment. Nico runs his thumbnail along a seam in the arm of his well-worn aviator jacket.

"We were going to watch another one but because we couldn't decide we said whoever won a round of Super Smash Brothers first could pick the movie."

"Did you win?" Jason asks.

"Yeah," Nico says, another timid smile graces his fine features. It disappears quickly and Nico falls back into his contemplative frown. "Percy said it didn't count because he was just warming up. So, we played again and somehow just kept playing. Next thing we know it's past midnight." 

Jason wonders if Annabeth had told Percy about their time in the arcade.

"And?"

"And he asked me to hang out with him tomorrow." Nico looks up and his eyes lock with Jason's. Just like the first time he said Percy asked him to hang out, Nico looks scared. All over his face its written that Nico doesn't trust Percy like he wouldn't trust a cat not to knock anything and everything off the counter, and yet, he _wants_ to. He wants to trust Percy. 

Jason casts his gaze to the floor. It feels good to be the person Nico trusts enough to show little, bashful, smiles to; trusts enough to laugh carelessly with; trusts enough to sleep next to; and trusts enough that he's the one Nico will go to when he needs help. But, it's hard to be that person when Jason has conflicting feelings that he can't seem to shake.

His feelings aren't important right now, however. Nico's are. And though it pains him to push Nico towards Percy, he's going to do it anyway because it's what Nico wants and _needs_. He'll do it because Nico is important to Jason and because Jason knows Nico won't-- can't!-- do this by himself.

"So?" Jason asks. "He's trying to be your friend, Nico. Give him a chance."

Nico tightly wraps his arms around his knees. "Do you really think that's the best idea?"

"Would I steer you wrong, Nico?"

Nico fiddles with the skull ring on his right hand. "I just…" He bites his lip. "I don't…" A pause. "No," he says finally. "You wouldn't." He glances up to meet Jason's eyes, again and for the third time Nico gives a sheepish smile. Stupidly, Jason feels his heart skip a beat. That smile was for him and if anyone thinks that Jason isn't going to tuck that smile into his heart, then they'd be wrong. 

"I'll let you go to bed now," Nico says, getting up and heading to the door. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Jason says.

Nico gives a little tight lipped grin that lasts only a second before ducking out the door.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just realized both those kids have the same names as characters already in pjo  
> maybe being named gabe is like being the side pony tail mom in an anime
> 
> anyway sweats i dont know when part 4 will be up


	4. Chapter 4

Jason wakes up late the next day. He'd tossed and turned all night unable to grab a wink of sleep. Glancing over at the stove he sees it'll be noon in a couple hours and that Nico has already left. He would be lying if he said he was feeling completely happy about it. 

Jealousy is an awful emotion, it really is.

He distracts himself by trying to remember if he was supposed to go in and train the kids today. No. It's Wednesday and after everything with Gabe, Reyna, as hard as she can be, thought it best to give the younger kids a break. Of course at the start of next week she expects them to work double to make up for lost time, but that was to be expected.

Jason figures he should probably go into camp anyway. There's always something that needs to be done and Reyna might ask for help. It's unlikely but who knows. Besides, she might have learned something about that chimera.

As much as Jason thinks there isn't a chance that who or _what_ ever let that chimera in has fled-- if they hadn't he's sure there would have been another attack by now-- they do need to figure out how they got in. Gaea's defeat might have reduced the number of kindly ones around, but that doesn't mean they're not still a threat. If Camp Jupiter has a breach big enough for something like that chimera to get through it can only mean that nothing good is coming their way.

He heads into the bathroom to wash up; get ready for the day. He brushes his teeth and showers among other things. Pulling a shirt over his head he strolls into the kitchen deciding eggs and toast would be the safest bet for him to make.

He ends up burning them a little.

It's quiet, as it usually is, but he feels a bit lonely sitting at the table by himself. Nico's usually not around in the mornings, but again, jealousy is an awful emotion. He just keeps telling himself that his bitterness towards Percy is unreasonable because it is.

Just as he's throwing his plate into the skink, the phone rings. Jason frowns. Weird. No one ever calls. Usually it's Iris Messages because phones still aren't the safest things for demigods to be using. Leo says he's nearly got a prototype working back at Camp Half-Blood because its about time they're able to use one, so it might be Leo calling. Jason doubts it.

"Hello?" Jason asks into the receiver.

"Jason? Is Nico there?" It's Percy.

"You have a cellphone?" Jason asks, ignoring the question. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Of course it is, which is why I'm using a landline. There's no water around here for," his voice drops to a whisper, "an iris message. So, is Nico with you or not?"

Jason shakes his head even though he knows Percy can't see him. "No."

"Oh," Percy says sounding a bit defeated. "Damn. I thought he'd with you."

"Why would you think that?"

"You're kinda the best person to go besides Hazel if you want to get a hold of Nico, and besides, you live with him don't you?"

"Point taken," Jason says. "But as far as I know, Nico's supposed to be with you, Jackson."

"Yeah, that's why I'm calling," Percy says in a tone that clearly says _duh_. "He's _supposed_ to be here, but he's not."

"You don't think he's in trouble do you?"

"Nico? Nah, he's probably just running late. I thought maybe you were holding him up." He hears Percy shuffle his feet. 

This doesn't sit right with Jason. He might be going through a jealous streak, but he'd told Nico to give Percy a chance, hadn't he? Unless he was dreaming that whole scenario he thought for sure Nico was going to go meet up with Percy today. So, where was he?

Jason really doubts that Nico's lost because he prefers to shadow travel directly to where he needs to go when he can and he's gotten really good at it. No more mishaps in China. And there aren't many kindly ones out there that Nico can't handle himself, so it's doubtful that he's laying in a gutter somewhere.

"Maybe his dad called him in for something?" Jason suggests.

"Maybe," Percy says.

Jason sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'll see if I can find him for you."

"No need to put yourself out, man. I'm sure he'll show up," Percy says trying to keep up his optimism, but his voice betrays him.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." There's a beat of silence. Percy takes a breath like he's going to say something and then decides against it. "Anyway, thanks Jason."

"No problem, Percy."

"I'll see you around?"

"Yeah." They hang up.

Grabbing his jacket Jason heads out the door. Already he feels the struggle between his want to find Nico and tell him to go meet up with Percy because that's what a friend would do, and the desire to avoid anything to do with them to save himself a couple hours of feeling completely awful. He decides if he happens to run into Nico, well then, you know, whatever, cool. If not well then it's no skin off his back. He offered to find Nico for Percy and Percy told him not to worry about it. 

Regardless, he's going into camp to see if Frank and Reyna have come up with anything new. 

Jason makes it to camp in good time, relishing in the regulated weather. The cold winds from his walk over vanish the second he passes the boundary. He raises his hand in greeting to Terminus and continues into the heart of camp. 

He reaches the senate house in no time. Reaching for the door, it suddenly pulls open and Frank comes barrelling out, nearly crashing into him.

"Whoa!" Frank exclaims, taking a quick step back. "Hey, Jason. What's up?"

"I was going to ask if you guys had found anything more about the chimera incident." 

Frank wipes his brow and shakes his head. "No, we haven't. I'm starting to think that there is nothing to find. If there was I'm sure Reyna would have sniffed it out by now."

Jason presses his mouth into a thin line. "I was thinking that too."

Frank rubs the back of neck nervously. "I don't know, Jason. Something just doesn't feel right about this." He looks around for a second. "Where's Nico?"

"I don't know," Jason says. His eyebrows knitting together for a confused second and he asks, "Why?"

Frank shrugs. "I just figured he'd be with you. He was there when… when it happened," he says, obviously trying to avoid saying it out loud. "I thought he might be curious too."

"Nico," Jason starts, trying to figure out a way to word it nicely, "handles death differently than the rest of us. He understands it. Accepts it, I guess." He leaves out that it's not just because he's Son of Hades. or because he was forced to with his sister. Jason's sure that if he's thought about it then Nico's thought about it, and well, Nico was trapped in the Lotus Hotel for _decades_. Any extended family Nico had when he was little all moved on without him. Jason's sure Nico must feel the weight of that.

"I guess that makes sense," Frank agrees with a lazy shrug. 

This is what Jason likes about Frank; how laid back he is about the children of the Underworld. Yeah, he's dating one, and saved the world along side the both of them, but even before that Frank never seemed to have a problem with either of them. He's always just treated them as people and not like they're to be avoided or looked down upon.

It would be nice if the rest of the demigods could be like that.

"Anyway," Jason says, "where were you headed?"

"The colosseum. It's been a while since I've brushed up on my fighting."

"Care for a partner?"

"You're not busy?"

"Nah," Jason says. "I only came to check up on the incident, and there's no demigods to train until next week so…" he trails off with a shrug.

"Well, alright," Frank says. "Come on."

The walk to the colosseum is short and quiet. Admittedly, Jason's looking forward to the summer when the younger kids get out of school. They add a while new level of enthusiasm and really brings the camp to life. Jason likes the hustle and bustle of it all. Of course San Francisco is busy, but it's a little different when the people running around are charged with divine energy. 

When they arrive at the colosseum Jason notes there are some severely mangled looking dummies. Not a big deal, they'll repair soon enough. It's odd though. Usually there's one or two like this by the end of the day, but not this many.

"Hey," Frank says, grabbing Jason's attention. "Look." 

Up ahead, crowding around the edge of the arena, is a group of kids looking on in awe. A murmur of excitement passing through them. With a little leaning this way and that way, Jason finds a good view to see what's going on.

Nico is training, nothing unusual about that, but the five ghosts he's training with are. They're big, hulking things, these ghosts. Some are nothing but skeletons wielding a weapon, some still have most of their flesh hanging to them with ribs and bits of bone exposed past the remnants of armour. All of them fight Nico at once; some trying to attack from behind like a mercenary trying to pull off a hit, while others decide a head on is the best approach. 

Nico's faster than they are, dodging easily out of the way of their weapons, and slicing his sword straight through them without pause. The ghosts crumple to the ground only to get back up again, and Jason notes that they're all fighting in different styles. The one that's nothing but skeleton fights like what Jason thinks a cave man might've fought like, and the big bulky one with it's ribs sticking out fights like a Roman.

In that moment, even Jason gets swept up in the exhilaration of watching Nico train. Nico's hair is pulled up into a small ponytail, and he's ditched his usual training gear in favour of a simple, loose, black tank. His arms taut with wiry muscles flex as he parry's and throws his weight into each slicing motion and thrust. He's an unstoppable force. The ground trembles and shakes beneath their feet, and there's something raw about how Nico's fighting. Savage, even. And then all at once, the skeleton warriors collapse. Nico bends at the waist supporting himself with his hands on his knees, signalling the end of his session.

The group of young demigods cheer loudly, and Nico starts. He turns away, uncomfortable with the attention focused solely on him.

Jason walks out into the arena, grabbing a towel and throwing it at him with a friendly shout of "Catch!" but he catches Nico by surprise, and it hits him square in the face.

"Thanks, Jason," Nico says dryly, wiping his brow and neck. "Frank," he says with a short nod. "What're you guys doing here?"

"The same as you," Frank says. "You interested in sparing with us?"

"Maybe later," Nico replies. "I should give some of the other kids a chance to use the arena."

"Good point," Jason agrees. "Why don't we sit in the stands for a bit then?"

"Sure."

Leaving the arena for those who want it, they climb the stands and pick a spot a couple rows up. For a minute they watch the younger demigods suit up and begin to train with each other. Frank speaks first, filling Nico in on the little they know. Terminus had no clue anything was wrong for one, and for another they know that the only way to get a chimera as large as they reported is to do some sort of experimentation.

"Hey, Nico," Jason cuts in. "I've been meaning to ask you… how did you know about the chimera? I mean, you just appeared."

Nico rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "I didn't, actually. What I was sensing was Gabe's life aura and I locked onto it."

"So you knew he was…"

"Dying? Yeah. I knew." He fiddles with the skull ring we wears on his right hand. "I couldn't just leave you with the chimera, Jason, and even though I could feel Gabe dying I knew he'd be alright if he just stayed put but…"

Jason and Frank both adopt a somber look and leave the sentence hanging. They all know where it ends.

Frank fumbles through the rest of the details they have about the incident. Nico listens quietly, and adopts a pensive look. Jason on the other hand finds himself a bit distracted. It's important, what Frank's saying, but Nico's seated between the two of them and he can't _not_ see him. His eyes keep dragging over Nico's arms; pale and thin like the rest of him, but obviously strong. And he keeps shooting furtive glances to where Nico's hair has been messily tied back. For once it's out of his eyes, and it, _he_ , looks good.

Frank snaps Jason out of his daze when he comments that Jason's done a good job training the demigods. Jason takes the compliment in stride, saying that of course he has to give them solid foundations to work with; being a demigod is no easy life to live.

They chat idly, Frank shooting Nico nervous smiles whenever a story involving Hazel is brought up. Frank is good to Hazel, and everyone knows it, but regardless, Nico is protective of her. No one doubts for a second that if Frank broke Hazel's heart that there would be literal hell to pay. 

Somehow they get onto the topic of games. Jason brings up that game Nico was up all night trying to beat, and Nico unhappily crosses his arms muttering that he still hasn't been able to beat it. Frank says not to feel bad because he hasn't even managed to get to that part yet. 

"But you know what you'd be good at?" Frank says to Nico. "The Mythomagic video game."

"There's a video game?" Nico asks, looking surprised.

"Yeah," Frank says. "It's an older game, I don't think they sell it anymore, but I had it when I was a kid." He rubs the back of his neck nervously. "I never beat it though. It was too hard."

"Do you still have it?" Jason asks.

"I might," Frank says thoughtfully. "I don't know."

"Why do you care?" Nico asks, turning to Jason.

Jason rolls his eyes. "Please, Nico, don't pretend that you're not dying to get your hands on it."

"I'm not!" Nico says, lifting his chin.

"If you manage to find it," Jason says, ignoring Nico, "bring it over sometime."

"Jason!" Nico says, shoving him away with one hand. Frank laughs. Jason pretends his heart doesn't flutter at the voluntary touch.

"Hey," Jason says. "The area's clearing out. You guys still up for a round?"

"Yeah," Frank says, standing up. "How are we doing this?"

They decide to do it two against one. Nico and Frank against Jason. Nico and Jason promise to keep their powers to a low, not wanting to cause a natural disaster in the middle of New Rome.

It's a tough close match. Nico and Jason are about equal in power, but Jason has the upper hand because Nico's still a little exhausted from his training earlier. Although Frank isn't using his usual weapon of choice and instead is using a sword, he more than makes up for what Nico's lacking. They hound each other with relentless attacks; all of them aimed to take the win. In the end, Frank is able to knock Jason off his feet and get him on his back when Nico comes in for what would have been a finishing blow had it been a real battle. 

Nico's sitting on Jason, his legs on either side of Jason's hips, and with his left arm drawn back his sword is poised over Jason's throat. It has his heart pounding for all the wrong reasons. All he can think about is the point where their bodies meet and about that dream he had the other night. He thinks about how real it had felt, how good it had been, and how badly he'd wanted Nico.

Before Jason's thoughts can wander too dangerously Nico gets off him. Any, er, _lustful_ thoughts he may have been having are quickly replace with a hot rush of shame. He's definitely overstepping some unseen boundaries. 

"You put up a good fight, Grace," Nico says, offering Jason a hand.

Jason takes it, and pulls himself up. "You had Frank backing you," he says, shooting Frank a grin. "I couldn't take down the both of you."

"Then it's a good thing we're on your side," Frank says, clapping Jason on the shoulder. 

"Frank!" comes Reyna's authoritative voice suddenly from across the arena. "Could you come with me back to the Senate House? There's work to be done."

Frank sighs. "I'm coming!" he calls back. "Sorry guys, I would hang out more, but…" he shrugs helplessly over towards Reyna.

Jason nods, fulling understanding. "Have fun." He waves.

"Right," Frank says with a roll of his eyes before running to catch up with Reyna.

Only getting in one round in with Frank is a little disappointing, but either way, getting his ass handed to him is proof enough that he needs to hone his skills; can't allow himself to get sloppy.

He dusts the dirt off his clothes and beside him Nico works out a knot in his shoulder. Should he bring it up? He told Percy if he ran into Nico he'd say something, but he doubts Percy would still be waiting for Nico. No one would wait this long; it's been a couple hours at least. Still, he'd feel guilty if he didn't mention it.

"Hey, uh, Nico…?" Jason starts.

"If it's about Percy then you can drop it," Nico says shortly, turning away.

"But--"

"I said _no_ , Grace."

Jason grits his teeth. He knows he's treading on thin ice. The last thing he wants is for Nico to be upset with him, but at the same time, regardless of any sensitive feelings, his own or Nico's, it's downright rude to cancel on someone without warning after you've made plans. 

"At least tell me why you didn't go then," he bargains. He won't tell Nico to go meet up with Percy, but the least Nico can do is offer up an explanation. Percy deserves to know that much at least.

Nico doesn't say anything. Instead he takes the elastic out of his hair and walks over to the side of the arena to grab his aviator jacket off a bench.

Jason frowns walking after him. "Nico," he says firmly, trying to get his attention. He makes the mistake of grabbing Nico's shoulder and instantly, after a bone crushing, nausea inducing moment of pure awful, he finds they're back at home. 

"Warn me next time," Jason wheezes. He really, really dislikes shadow travel. 

Nico only shrugs Jason's hand away and continues to ignore him as he walks down the hall into the bathroom. The shower turns on and Jason hopes that Nico doesn't leave the shower on and shadow travel back to camp. He's never done that before, and he doesn't seem the type, but Nico can be unpredictable.

With a sigh Jason can do nothing but wait it out. 

He busies himself with seeing if there was anything that needed to be thrown out of the fridge, and putting a few dishes away that have been sitting in the drying rack for far too long.

A couple of minutes later, Nico makes his reappearance. His hair is damp, and he's back in his usual loose t-shirt with skull motif. He won't meet Jason's eyes and his arms are crossed uncomfortably. Jason leans easily against the kitchen counter. He's learned that this means Nico's trying to say something he doesn't want to. Pushing won't do anything but make Nico pull away. He'll say what he needs to when he's good and ready.

"I…" he starts his eyes flicking up to Jason's briefly before falling back down to the floor. "I'm sorry Jason."

"It's alright, Nico."

Nico pulls his jacket around him tighter. "I chickened out."

"Of meeting Percy?"

He nods. "Yeah. And I snapped at you because I was angry."

"With Percy?"

"No. With myself." Well, that explained his training session then. "You're gong to tell me to meet him aren't you?"

Jason sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not."

Nico looks up at him, confused. "You're not?"

"No. I'm not." A pause. "I think it would be good for you to let Percy try and make it up to you, but if you really don't want him around, then that's your decision."

"I want to let him," Nico says, with such conviction it surprises Jason. "I _want_ Per--" he stops himself short. Heat flushes his cheeks and he drops his gaze to the floor. He bites his lip and his fingers dig into his arms.

Jason's heart beats uncomfortably. There's no question about what Nico left unsaid hanging in the hair. And of course Jason's known it this whole time, of course he has, it's the whole reason he's all bent out of shape. Hearing it get said aloud, or half-said, or whatever… its hard. 

Nico licks his lips, drawing Jason's attention. Jason wants nothing more than to swoop in a steal a kiss from Nico, purge any thoughts of Percy from his mind. Purge all thoughts of the sea, and replace them the wide open endless expanse of sky and the idea of a new beginning. No more emotional baggage, no more pining after something out of reach; it would be just the two of them. It would be a well needed breath of fresh air. 

It could be something lovely. 

"I'm going to go talk to him," Nico says decisively snapping Jason out of his wistful thoughts. Nico backs into a shadow and the room feels lighter in the way that it does when Nico shadow travels, but also hollow. Jason feels like this should be the moment where he feels fire burn within him and he decides he's not going down without a fight for Nico's affections, but there's none of that. Instead he feels like he's been gutted.

Not wanting to walk to Camp Jupiter and back again, he throws himself onto the couch, feeling defeated.

* * *

"Jason?" Piper asks, surprised as he walks into the small café where she works. "What're you doing here?"

"Can't a guy drop in on his friend and see how she's doing?" he asks, sitting down and shrugging off his jacket. The café is a bit cool in contrast to outside which Jason takes as winter finally giving up the ghost and grudgingly moving into spring.

"I suppose he can," she says, walking over and leaning onto the counter. "Can I get you anything?"

"Yeah, sure," Jason says with a shrug.

Piper shoots him a look, her eyes narrowed and eyebrows drawn together. " _'Yeah, sure,'"_ she mimics, shrugging her shoulders in the same manner. "What kind of answer is that?"

"Um."

Piper rolls her eyes and saunters over to the coffee pots and pours Jason a cup. Again, it's the best coffee Jason has ever got his hands on and he tells her that. She smiles sheepishly, rolling her eyes saying that she hardly does anything.

"So why are you here?" she asks again. "I mean, I'm glad and everything, but you look like a kicked puppy."

Jason runs a hand through his hair. He must have hit an all time low to look that pathetic. 

"It's Nico again, isn't it?"

Jason can only nod grimly. 

Piper sighs placing her hands on her hips. "I'm not a relationship guru you know."

He ducks his head. "I didn't come here for advice…" he says, but he doesn't sound all that convincing. He's here because he wanted to see Piper, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't hoping to talk to someone about it. Just to get it out. It would be great if he could just stop being so bitter with a flick of a switch, but thats not how it works. He'd got up this morning hoping to find that his feelings for Nico has disappeared but of course they were still there, burning a hole in his heart.

Piper leans on the counter and looks at Jason thoughtfully. "Is he hanging out with Percy?" Jason looks away and that's answer enough. She smiles wearily. "I knew it." A pause. "I know you want to look out for Nico to keep him safe and all the things you usually do but, it might be good for them to reconcile."

"I know," Jason says, gripping his mug tightly. He might know it would be for the best, and he might have told Nico the same thing last night, but that doesn't mean he's happy about it.

Another beat of silence. "Nico did take me to a great pizza place."

"He did?"

"He did," Piper confirms. "It was the greatest pizza I've ever had and I've decided I'm never having pizza from the food court again."

Jason laughs saying, "I told you he takes his Italian food seriously." Then he asks, "But when did you go?"

"Yesterday. I ran into him at camp after he was done talking to Percy and we went-- shadow travel is _awful_ \--"

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"But that's not the point," she says with a dismissive wave of her hand. "We didn't talk much or anything-- you know how Nico is-- but I don't think Nico's looking, or even needs a boyfriend right now, Jason." She frowns trying to figure out how to explain herself. "I didn't get the same vibe from him I do people who are looking for a relationship?" It comes out sounding like a question as she struggles to put her thoughts into words.

Jason isn't really listening to be honest. He's been focused on the word _boyfriend_. He's never really let himself think that word or think of himself and Nico as possible _boyfriends_ but now that he is, oh, he can't deny how nice that sounds. Nico as his boyfriend could be something really, really nice.

"You're hopeless," he hears Piper say, snapping him out of his daydreams. He flushes, and she smiles. "If theres one person in this world who's important to Nico in this world besides Hazel, it's you, Jason." She takes his hand in hers. "He'll come to you in his own time."

Jason doesn't think about how he thinks its funny how she's the one playing the role of "person who knows Nico". He doesn't think about how he thinks she's wrong. He doesn't think about how Nico doesn't look at him like he looks at Percy. He doesn't think about how deeply Percy has been woven into Nico's life to the point where most of why Nico is the way he is, is because of Percy. 

Percy is an important factor in Nico's life, and Percy's important to Nico, because Nico cares so deeply about Percy's opinion of him.

It's nothing but and it always will be Percy, Percy, _Percy._

But Jason doesn't let himself think any of that, no. Instead, he takes Piper's words at face value and holds them. Lets himself believe that he's important to Nico.

Lets himself believe that Nico will come to him in the end.

* * *

Jason and Piper spend the rest of the day chatting. They avoid the subject of Nico like the plague after the initial conversation they have. Piper's been hanging out with Annabeth to help her edit essays and whatnot, and also help her relax. From the sounds of it, things between her and Percy are going downhill fast. 

It's unfortunate. It really is. Annabeth and Percy are the Golden Couple of Camp Half-Blood, and, Hades, Jason would even go so far as to say Camp Jupiter too. They've been through everything together, and it's strange to think that they can't navigate a relationship after all this. It would be nice if they were able to work out things between them, but like he said to Annabeth the other day, it won't be the end of the world if they break up.

Afterwards, Jason walked Piper home when her shift ended. She wanted to hang out a little longer, but her dad is doing a new movie and she promised she'd help out. She's never been much involved before but putting a movie together is quite the process apparently, and while she'd never want to be on camera she says its kind of fun to be on set helping out.

Jason arrives home a little while later and to his surprise Nico is home too. He's curled up on the couch reading a book, licking his lips in concentration. He's not very far into it, only a couple pages or so, but he looks thoroughly engrossed, enough that he hasn't even noticed Jason hovering near him.

"Hey, Nico," Jason greets.

Nico jumps. "Jason!" he exclaims. "When did you get back?"

"Just now." And then, "Is something burning?"

Nico's eyes widen and he swears loudly. He leaps up and scrambles over to the stove, throwing on some mitts, pulling the oven door open, and pulls out a very smoky, burnt looking… something.

"What is that?" Jason asks, coughing and waving away some of the smoke.

"It was supposed to be chicken pot pie." Nico blows the smoke off the charred remains, frowning, his shoulders sag.

Jason feels like this is the point where he's supposed to say that the pie look great regardless of its mostly burned everything, and that he's sure it'll taste wonderful and anything, but it's not going to happen. No amount of scraping off the burnt bits will save it by this point. His sense of taste isn't broken like Nico says it is, and he's not actually going to break it by subjecting himself to Nico's awful cooking.

Nico stands holding his failed experiment and just looks so disappointed in himself, that Jason gives. He's not going to eat it, no. He's not going anywhere near that thing. It's going straight in the garbage-- no passing GO no collecting $200-- its going straight to jail. Or, well, garbage.

"How about I help you this time?" he offers.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. You can make the pastry again, and I'll make the filling. Then maybe between the two of us we'll keep it from burning."

Nico smiles, just a little, and that gives Jason his answer.

So, once again, they cook together. Nico's in a decidedly good mood, and Jason for the first time isn't too bothered knowing it's because of Percy. In truth, he's just happy Nico is happy. It's not often the son of Hades allows himself to show outward appearances of happiness, or contentment at least. He wishes Nico would allow more moments like this to shine through because they're precious, they really are.

Nico makes the pastry, and Jason tries his best not to look. Admittedly, he's not doing a very good job. Nico folds the pastry effortlessly like his hands are working on autopilot. There's an odd calm surrounding him as well. It's almost as if Nico isn't here, but instead far away inside his head to a distant place in Italy. 

When Nico starts rolling out the pastry, the sound of the rolling pin clattering around is so natural to Jason, its almost as if he's been hearing it all his life. It brings the idea of age old traditions and warm fresh pastries out of the oven that makes him feel like he's at home-- not home as just the place he lives and calls him because what else is he going to call it, but as somewhere he belongs-- and Jason revels in it.

He manages to make the filling without much trouble and Nico finishes the pastry. The pie goes into the oven and half an hour later, out comes a chicken pot pie that is not at all burnt. Jason cuts the both of them out a slice and they plant themselves on the couch.

It's not the best pie he's ever had, but Jason supposes it suits the bad TV they're watching. It's warm and home-cooked so he's really not complaining. Nico looks pleased too, taking small slow bites.

He and Nico are close enough that they touch. Nico doesn't seem bothered, if anything he seems to be leaning into him. And it's the stuff like this, the littlest tiny things that anyone else would dismiss as nothing important, means the world when its Nico being talked about. It's stuff like this that gives Jason this warm tight feeling in his chest that's reserved only for Nico.

Suddenly Nico looks over to Jason and his eyebrows pull together-- Jason's staring.

"Sorry," Jason says quickly, adverting his gaze back to the TV, "I was just wondering what made you want to cook."

Nico ducks his head, looking oddly shy. "You don't like it?"

"No, I do!"

Then, there it is, that shy smile Nico only seems to show around him. "I don't know I just thought you'd like it. I mean we're always ordering in and that time we made those dumplings was really nice so…" he trails off with a shrug. "You saw what happened to the first one, but it worked out."

"Your pastry is great," Jason says earnestly. "You really should think about picking up baking again."

"I might," Nico says, still sounding unsure, drawing into himself.

"Too close to home still?" Jason guesses.

Nico doesn't say anything, which is his way of saying yes. He picks up his book again, and ditches his mostly still full plate of food, obviously feeling uncomfortable. 

"Where did you get that?" Jason says, nodding towards the book, trying to change the topic. He swears at himself internally for making Nico so uncomfortable he put down his plate-- the kid need to get all the food into him that he can.

"Oh." Nico tries hard to hide his flush, but fails to succeed. "Percy bought it for me today." Jason doesn't miss how Nico's eyes light up and how he holds his book a little closer, like it something precious to him, not unlike Jason imagines Nico holds the Poseidon mythomagic card. "He insisted on it even though I said he didn't have to."

Jason smiles, if only because he thinks Nico is cute. "Hopefully its good."

"Hopefully," Nico agrees. "I'm not really sure what its about, because you know, the dyslexia."

"How could I forget?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's not like reading is essential or anything."

"Of course it isn't," Jason says with a roll of his eyes. "But really," he adds, "it was nice of him to get you that. He's really trying--"

"--to be my friend, I know," Nico says, cutting Jason off and sounding bitter. "Sorry." He looks apologetic. "Old habits die hard. It's just…" he shifts a little and ends up pressing into Jason, but he doesn't so much as blink at the fact they're touching. "I know its stupid but its… scary," he says finally.

Jason tentatively leans into Nico, and when he's not pushed away, he settles in a bit more. He might be feeling that all too familiar jealous pull in his bones, but even more than that he feels warm. Good, even. Nico may radiate death, but all Jason feels is comfort. Nico trusts him and that doesn't feel anything but wholly good. 

"It's alright, Nico," he says like he always does. "I'm glad you're letting him in."

Nico let out a sharp, barking laugh; he's still out of practise. "I wouldn't have if it wasn't for you."

A self satisfied smirk pulls at the corner of Jason's mouth. "What? Don't I get a thank you?"

"No," Nico says lifting his chin in defiance, but Jason sees a small smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth as well, and a bit of inky mischief in his eyes. "Things might turn out horribly and why would I thank you for that?"

"It'll turn out fine." Jason assures, ignoring the uncomfortable heat pooled in his stomach.

"Thanks, Jason," Nico says quietly, before going back to struggling with his book.

* * *

Days pass without much incident. Nico and Jason had tried cooking together a couple more times, but it turns out their past successes turned out to be flukes and ended up burning most everything they attempted to make. The good news is that they only set off the fire alarm once. 

So far, the day has been moving slow. Nico's hanging out with Percy again and Jason's been playing online games with Leo, and it's fun. It is! But it sort of just makes Jason miss the energetic Son of Hephaestus. It's been far too long since he and Leo had a chance to talk. 

Leo says he's bored at Camp Half-Blood because everyone is on the other side of the country. Jason invites him over, but he declines saying he'd go stir crazy without his shop. "I gotta keep busy, gotta keep doing things, you know?" Leo had said.

That made sense, because Leo's been fiddling with something since the very first day they met all those years ago on that bus on its way to the Grand Canyon, but Jason wishes he'd come down for just a few days. Leo's always coming up with things to do, and with his constant high energy at the end of his visits everyone feels like they've just come off a roller coaster; exhilarated and feeling a little sad that it's over so soon.

But there was no changing Leo's mind about coming over. He promised some time over the summer and denied up and down Jason's teasing accusations that he just wanted to escape the world of responsibilities that come with the summer campers. Then, of course, Leo had to go offline, which left Jason home alone playing Nico's video game, on his own file.

He now more fully understood Nico's frustration with the game and in all honesty he didn't know the son of Hades hadn't thrown their game system out the window yet. He'd have to congratulate him when he got home.

Speaking of which, did they have any leftovers in the fridge? He isn't in the mood for Chinese again, but maybe they could order in some pizza-- no Nico would insist on the best place in town which would also be the most expensive. Maybe Indian? Yeah that sounds good. There's a good place not too far away he could pick up from.

Jason saves his game, checks the fridge (yeah there's nothing), and heads out to get some take-away. It's only when he arrives in the small, but clean and welcoming, shop that Jason realizes he doesn't know what Nico likes in Indian food. He decides to play it safe and order things that seem like they're something like what he'd get from a Chinese place-- which doesn't leave him with a lot of options. It takes forever for the poor cook to make all the food he's ordered but he takes it all home and to his surprise Nico isn't there when he gets back.

Part of him feels guilty for digging in instead of waiting for Nico, but he's hungrier than he thought he was and there's no sense in letting it go cold; stuff like this is always best fresh.

He's halfway done eating and halfway through an episode of that bad soap opera he can't seem to escape when Nico gets back, using the front door instead of shadow travelling in and walking out the side of the fridge or out of the TV like he usually does.

"Nico?" he asks. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Nico says unconvincingly. "You got order in?"

Jason nods and makes room beside him and motions towards the plate and fork he left out for Nico. He walks over and sits on his side of the couch, pulling some rice and curry sauce onto his plate, but doesn't eat. Instead he watches the terrible soap opera with rapt attention and jittery legs. He licks his lips nervously and fiddles with the skull ring on his right hand.

Its clear that Nico isn't all rilled up because George's affair has been exposed to his wife or because-- what's her name? Jane?-- is also carrying his baby, nor is it because George's wife is also pregnant, it's something else and in all probability, probably something to do with Percy.

"Nico," Jason says, when he can't take the restless energy anymore. 

"Jason," he replies with a faux cool.

"What's up?" he asks looking at him seriously.

Nico doesn't look like he's going to answer but then he blurts out, "Percy broke up with Annabeth."

"What?" Jason says, his eyebrows shooting into his hairline with surprise. "He did? How do you know?"

"He told me today while we met up," Nico explains. He fiddles with his ring some more. His hands ball into tight fists. "I thought I was getting over him, Jason! It was getting easier to hang out with him and then he goes and breaks up with Annabeth and… I don't know!"

"How is he?" Jason tries, not because he wants to gossip, but because he wants to know if Percy's okay.

"That's what I don't know!" Nico says for the third time. "I mean, yeah, he seemed pretty down when he mentioned it, but then h changed the topic and it seemed like he was relaxed, like he was finally breathing easy? But that doesn't make sense! He and Annabeth they were… they were _the_ couple, Jason. They were supposed to get married and have kids or something!"

Ah. So that was why he's so rilled up. He's upset because he's grown up being so sure that Percy and Annabeth were unbreakable, he thought, Hades, they all thought, they would be just like Nico said-- married with kids; the perfect family. He'd understood that long ago, but was just just starting to accept it and move on, and now that they're broken up, lingering feelings are bubbling to the surface. 

"Don't run from him now, Nico," Jason says. "Did he tell you right away?"

"Yeah," Nico says, looking confused. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

Jason shrugs. "Percy's the kind of guy that wears his heart on his sleeve, you know? So, if you don't know what he was feeling then he's probably hurting pretty bad and trying to hide it-- or, that's how I see it." Gods, when did he become such an expert on Percy anyway? He could give Piper and run for her money with this stuff.

"Yeah…" Nico says, pulling into himself. "I guess that makes sense."

He steals a leaf from Pipers books because it helped him, and he says: "He doesn't need a boyfriend right now, Nico. He needs a friend." And he sees the opposite of what Piper must have saw on his own face when she told him that same line. Nico wears a sort of hardened look, where Jason knows he was dreamy. But there's something more. There's hard, jagged, angry feeling coming off him and Jason realizes he said the wrong thing.

Percy's not into guys. Nico's had that shoved in his face since the day he met Percy and he's been struggling to accept that he'll only ever be a friend to the guy. _Of course_ Percy isn't looking for a boyfriend right now, and he won't ever be looking for a boyfriend.

"Sorry," Jason says. 

"It's alright," Nico says. The bitterness doesn't escape Jason's attention.

"I just meant--" he tries, not wanting Nico to pull away from him because of this.

"I know what you meant," Nico says sharply. He sighs. "Sorry, just…" He bites his lip and like before Jason knows that Nico is trying to say something hard. "I have this stupid little part of me that's hoping that because they're broken up he'll--" he stops himself short but Jason doesn't need him to say it out loud. It's enough to confirm what Jason was already thinking.

Tentatively Jason slides his arm over Nico's shoulders, though he doesn't know why. Nico doesn't push him away.

"One day," Jason says. "It'll all work out." But he doesn't specify to either of them if he means things with Percy, or with himself.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sweats;;;  
> okay school has started back up so if i didnt know when i was releasing chapters before I REALLY DON'T KNOW NOW……  
> I hope that you all have the patience to stick around!


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Jason is back at camp because training has started up again. Not surprisingly, the kids are all pumped up and raring to go -- they can't sit around too long or else they'll go stir crazy. ADHD does that to people. Jason's restless too. He spent the whole time on the way to camp mulling over what Nico had told him the night before: Percy and Annabeth broke up. Then once he was within camp boarders, he'd been hit with the memory of Gabe and the chimera.

He's fine when he's at home for the most part. At home he's with Nico and he can push what happened to the back of his mind and he can stop reminding himself that he was _right there_. But then he gets to camp and he feels the guilt gnawing away at his innards and reminding him that he wasn't enough to stop it.

There's been no word on another chimera or anyone who seems like they might be the culprit behind the incident. It's like it never happened, and that's the weirdest part about it. Usually bad guys are all about monologuing their devious plans. Maybe he's just being paranoid. Living through not one, but two great prophecies must've put him on edge. So he tells himself that maybe the chimera was just an oddity. 

It works somewhat. The kids are responsive in training, and the sky is endlessly clear. But even still, the foreboding feeling of something dark and dangerous on the horizon persists throughout both his morning and afternoon training sessions. It weighs on him heavily enough that he stops buying his own lies, and heads down to the senate house the first chance he gets. There has to be something to this that Reyna has found since he's been away.

"There's no new news."

"None?"

"None," Reyna confirms. She sighs and rubs her brow, dropping to rest her elbows against her knees. "I know you're concerned, Jason, but there's not a trace of anything." She looks at him, her dark eyes looking tired and grim. "When I find something, I will let you know."

Jason wants to protest, wants to argue that there has to be something, but he knows that exhaustion Reyna's feeling. He knows how it settles so deep in your bones that even laying down to rest doesn't feel like enough. Running New Rome is no easy task, and he knows Reyna is looking into the chimera incident as much as she can on top of everything else. But the longer he's here the more he feels like there just has to be something they're missing.

Jason gives her a grateful smile instead. "You look tired."

"Thanks," Reyna says, giving him a dry, unimpressed look. 

"No!" Jason says, realizing the implication. "No! That's not what I meant! I just -- How are you holding up?"

Reyna huffs out a breath that might've been a laugh. "About as well as you could expect." 

"That bad, huh?"

"Nothing new. I've been through worse. We all have."

"That doesn't mean your well being is any less important than anyone else's," Jason says after a moment's pause where he just looks at her. She looks tired and weary, but he notices that her hair is smooth, dark and shiny. He's surprised that there isn't a grey hair to be found. He's surprised they all don't have grey hair.

Reyna looks up at him. "Says you." There's a teasing smile pulling at the right side of her mouth.

"Yeah. Says me." He pretends he didn't catch what she's implying.

She rolls her eyes. "I know when something's eating at you, Grace. You did all you could."

Jason looks away. "Yeah," he says, but his heart isn't in it, and this isn't the only thing weighing down on him.

"It's terrible, but this is the life of a demigod. That doesn't make it any less tragic or sad, but it's how the world works for us." Jason chances a glance back at Reyna and sees how her brow has furrowed, and her mouth has become a hard line. She isn't saying this to be cruel. It's just fact. Jason has known this all his life. 

"But that doesn't mean I won't get to the bottom of this," she continues. "Gabe was just a child, and a chimera that size has no business being so close to Camp without my knowing." 

"That's what I don't understand! Why was it so big and how did it get so close to camp? The only explanation --"

"-- Jason," Reyna says cutting across him. "Please. I understand you were there but that's the problem. You were there. Take some more time if you need to, no one would blame you if you did."

Jason's mouth twists down. "I don't need more time."

It's like he told Piper: he saw Gabe's ghost, and saw his family get closure. That was more than he could have asked for. Regular people don't get that kind of opportunity. That should be enough. He's fine.

Reyna only gives him a hard look, because he's doing just what she had been getting at just a few moments before, but she doesn't push. "Thank you for your help, but Frank and I have it under control. Like I said, if anything comes up you and Nico will be the first to know," she says, instead. 

Jason knows when a topic is closed for discussion so he changes it. "And life outside of Praetor duties?"

"It's good," Reyna replies. Suddenly she looks younger, like the weight of New Rome on her back has been lifted -- if only for just a moment. "I see Annabeth and Piper quite often."

"You do?" Jason asks, not because he's surprised, because he really isn't, but because it's the polite thing to do.

"I do. We're usually at Annabeth's, but I assume that's because she wants some company while she studies."

"Annabeth? Wanting company? While she _studies_?" Jason laughs. "I don't know, Reyna. I think we're thinking of two different people."

Reyna laughs with him. "I think you might be right."

She tells him how it had taken her some time to get over what happened on C.C's Spa and Resort regarding Percy and Annabeth, but once she did, Piper got a real kick out of hearing both sides of the guinea pig story. She also tells Jason of the time Annabeth was so stressed out her hair really was falling out, and so they'd forced Annabeth into a sleep over movie night.

Jason's glad to hear the stories. He's more than aware of how the residents of New Rome put their Praetors on some kind of out of reach pedestal. When, in reality, they're just kids too. They're kids who swap stories, have sleep overs, and lack any sort of cooking ability. So, its nice to get to hear these stories about Reyna where she isn't the fighter or the leader, but instead is just a kid. 

They all need a little of that, he thinks.

Reyna stands when she finishes her last story, and pushes her braid back over her shoulder before giving Jason an apologetic smile. "I would like to stay and let you in on all of the mischief we girls get up to, but the senate is having a meeting."

"It's fine," he assures her. "But I don't envy you."

There's a part of him that misses being Praetor of New Rome. Granted it isn't a big part of him; the responsibility and long days weren't something he ever asked for or wanted. It felt good, though, to be working to make the New Rome a better place for demigods to live. The senate meetings on the other hand? They are something he's very glad to be free from. He spent far too many hours with them arguing over the smallest things, like whether or not baklava should be taken off the dessert menu because of its Greek roots. 

That had been a very heated debate.

Reyna waves as she goes, and Jason waves back before looking towards the ground and stuffing his hands in his pockets. He would go back to the forest and look for clues, but the chimera, like all kindly ones, had turned to dust. There would be nothing to find. Whoever summoned the thing would also be long gone as well. Too many days have passed since the incident for there to be anything left. Unless whoever was behind the whole incident was especially stupid and marked their name into a tree. 

He's fine. He is. He swears it. But being at camp makes him play that day over and over again in his mind, yet he never comes up with anything that might help. He'd been too focused on trying not to get burnt to a crisp, and keeping both Travis and Gabe safe. In the end it was all for naught. Gabe still lost his life and Jason can't think up anything useful.

Maybe it's for the best that he gave up Praetor to Frank. 

Jason walks -- sulks is more like it, actually -- aimlessly through camp for a couple of minutes, when a hand touches his shoulder. Jason whirls around startled out of his thoughts. 

"Hey, hey, whoa." It's Percy holding his hands up in defence. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"Please," Jason goes, "like you could scare me."

Percy smiles wide, "I dunno about that, Grace. You looked pretty scared to me."

"Trust me, it was all in your head."

Percy laughs, and Jason understands what Nico meant about Percy seeming like he was breathing easy now. His grin is still that trademark grin that could only belong to Percy and he's still as laid back as ever. Their game of _anything-you-can-do-I-can-do-better_ comes as naturally as if ever has. If Jason didn't know any better he'd say nothing happened at all. But just as he's thinking that, Percy's grin starts to fade, and his expression sobers. His shoulders sag just a touch, but enough that Jason notices.

Percy runs a hand awkwardly through his already messy hair. "You busy tomorrow?"

"Nah," Jason says with a shake of his head. He feigns ignorance on what this could be about and asks, "Why? Have something in mind?"

"I mean not really. Nothing special. I was just wondering if you wanted to come over." Percy ducks his head as he stumbles through his words. "I kinda want to talk to you about something."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Uh." He looks away. It's such an un-Percy like action that Jason can hardly believe it. Percy has always run head long into danger, and when he flips the gods off Percy looks them right in the face. How he doesn't get punished for that is beyond Jason, but the point is: Percy doesn't look away. 

"Hey, man, you alright?" Jason asks gently.

Percy looks at him when he says, "Annabeth and I broke up."

Jason has to work to look surprised, but it does the trick well enough. "Really? Gods, Percy I'm sorry to hear that." And he is. Jason might have some inside knowledge of the situation, but that doesn't keep him from genuinely feeling bad that things have come to this. 

"It's…yeah." He shrugs, at a loss for words. "Listen, I don't really want to talk about it now, but tomorrow, maybe? I figure you're, like, the best guy to go to for this."

Jason's doubtful about that. He didn't exactly handle his breakup with Piper well considering his solution was to just not talk to her for a lengthy period of time. They're talking again now, but that's got to be some sort of miracle, because for as well as seems things to be going on that front, it also seems really fragile. There are times when she looks at him and he feels hollowed out, and at times it feels like one wrong step will crack whatever bridge they're building between them again. So who knows, really, how it'll sort itself out. 

He nods anyway, feeling kind of touched that Percy wants to talk to him about it. "Yeah. Tomorrow's great."

Percy perks up, like he didn't expect Jason to say yes. "Okay. Okay, great. I'll see you then."

* * *

Jason isn't sure what makes him do it, but he stops in at Piper's coffee shop before he has to meet Percy. Usually he lets Piper know before hand that he'll be dropping by, but not today. Maybe it's because he's got breakups on his mind. Maybe it's just that he's forming a habit.

He's going to say it's the second thing. 

It's nice, if a little strange, though. He never thought he'd have a fondness for the drink he once called bitter black sludge. But now he drops in with the ability to say "the usual" and end up with something that's warm, delicious, and somehow manages to remind him of home. 

"Jason, hey," Piper says, clearly surprised. "I didn't know you'd be coming by."

"Hey, sorry," he says, sliding into his spot. "I just thought I'd stop in for a little."

"You have somewhere to be?"

"Kind of yeah."

Piper lifts an eyebrow as she pours him a to go drink. "Where're you headed?" She hands him the drink, and leans against the counter.

Jason takes a sip before he answers, and makes a face when he burns himself. He catches Piper rolling her eyes at him, because he still makes the rookie mistake of not waiting for his coffee to cool. Maybe he hasn't progressed as far past his stapler eating days as he'd like people to think.

"Percy's," he says.

Piper raises her eyebrows a hair. "Really?" She nods her head towards the backpack by Jason's feet. "Is that what that's for?"

Jason rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah. I don't know if you know but... Percy and Annabeth broke up."

This time Piper's eyebrows shoot right up into her hairline and her mouth drops open just a fraction of an inch. "Wait… really? This is what Annabeth wants to talk to me about tomorrow! Oh, I hope she's doing alright --" she catches herself, "Percy too, of course."

Jason gives her a gentle smile. "Yeah, I hope they're doing alright too. It's not easy."

"No, it's not," Piper agrees. 

Jason looks at Piper, looks into her kaleidoscope eyes, and finds he's holding his breath through their tense and somewhat awkward exchange. Piper just smiles gently, her eyes crinkling ever so slightly at the corners and that's enough. The tension leaves Jason's shoulder all at once. Strange, how that is.

He remembers there was a time, when they first got together, where she'd been fiercely jealous of anyone who seemed like they might threaten their relationship, but it seems like they've both grown up -- grown up in a way that's different than how all demigods are forced to grow up in a life where everything is trying to kill them. So, while it's surprising, it's also really nice to see how well Piper is reacting to everything. He feels like he's leaning her for the first time.

Still, looking at her right now is a little painful, so he looks back down to his drink as he nods. "Yeah. So, I'm taking some movies and games and things. A distraction, you know? He might just want company."

"That's a good idea," Piper says, and her smile pulls into a grin. "Just don't butt heads with him, alright?"

Jason can't help but grin back. "I'll try not to."

"We're trying a new muffin recipe," Piper says suddenly, pushing back from the counter and putting her hands on her hips. "Would you like to try it before you go?"

It takes Jason a second to understand what she's doing, but he gets it, and he's thankful. Their own relationship might have ended a while ago, but this thing they have now is too new and fragile feelings for Jason to brave talking about breakups. Besides, they really shouldn't gossip about their friends. 

"Yeah I would."

* * *

When Jason leaves Piper's coffee shop he instinctively makes his way to Annabeth's place before he remembers why he's even going to see Percy and has to trek his way back across to the other side of New Rome.

Jason finds the building. It's a short apartment complex with only two stories, but its long. Percy's place is at the end. He climbs the stairs and knocks on Percy's door, or what he hopes is Percy's door because the phrase: "So two dyslexics write down an address…" sounds like the start of a bad bar joke or the plot of an especially bad B-movie. 

When the door opens it's Percy, thankfully. "Hey," he goes, aiming for something in the realm of cheery, but misses by a good couple hundred yards.

"Hey," Jason says lifting a hand in greeting. "Can I come in?"

Percy moves out of the way gesturing for Jason to come inside. "Sorry. I know its a mess but I've only been here a couple of nights and…" he trails off. Jason doesn't need to hear the end of his sentence to know its been rough.

Percy's got deep bags under his eyes, his hair is messier than it usually is, and his rumpled hoodie and jeans are the same ones he was wearing yesterday. He must have slept in them. 

Breakups are tough. That's just how they are. 

"Don't look at me like that," Percy says, crossing his arms. "These are only a day old."

"Sure they are, Jackson," Jason says lightly, brushing past him.

The apartment is dim. There's one light on in the living room and the well-worn curtains have all been drawn shut. On the floor by the door is where Percy's decided will be the new permanent residence for all of his stuff, and on the kitchen counter he can see a bowl of forgotten cereal. The apartment is furnished, but it feels empty. Percy's clearly been here a few nights, but it doesn't feel lived in at all. It's almost unsettling.

Jason sets his bag down on the counter and opens it. "I brought some bad movies to watch if you want. I know it's cliché but it helped me, so…"

Percy shrugs which is answer enough for Jason. He digs out a movie at random and tosses it to Percy, -- which he thankfully catches -- to throw in the DVD player. After the popcorn is popped, they both seat themselves on the couch. The movie starts to play, and Jason has a moment where he remembers a time when he was in Percy's spot and Nico was the one comforting him. So, Jason follows in the footsteps of his friend.

"These people have no idea how easy their lives are," Jason starts. "It's not like they have to save the world like we do or anything." Percy huffs out a distracted laugh and it seems like a good sign, so Jason continues commenting. He pokes fun at the Californian surfer-dude cliché, and when the movie's token goth comes on Jason says he makes Nico look like he shops at Hollister. Percy laughs at the last comment, but it's too hard and too loud. He's clearly trying to force it so Jason lets them fall into silence. 

The movie is almost over when Jason looks over to Percy. Nico had said Percy looked weirdly alright, but he's definitely not now. Percy just watches the TV blankly and isn't even bouncing his leg.

"Percy… how are you doing?"

Percy doesn't look back at Jason for a long while. He just stares ahead, not really seeing anything, until eventually he says: "I think I should be more broken up about it than I am."

Of all the things Percy could have said that wasn't one of the things Jason could say he was expecting. At all.

"Oh?"

Percy rubs the back of his neck and sighs. "I mean… of course I'm upset. I broke up with _Annabeth_. She's pretty and funny and smart and she laughs at my stupid jokes and I miss her like hell already but I just thought it would be this big end of the world thing because --" he laughs low and hollow, "-- I guess that's all I've ever known, right? Big prophecies and people always telling me how big every decision I make is and this kind of… just happened."

Jason stays quiet for a minute allowing Percy to go on if he wants to. When he doesn't Jason decides to offer up some details of his own breakup so Percy doesn't feel like the only one feeling like he's spread eagle under the microscope here. 

"When Piper and I broke up I had seen it coming for months, but I kept pushing to keep us together when I probably should have just let it happen, you know? And I think it only drove her even further away. It wasn't like we were fighting and ended it because she's a vegan and I'm not, or because I'm kind of serious and she's more lighthearted and intuitive, or anything like that. It was just…," he gestures vaguely, "time. I guess."

Jason takes a breath and collects his thoughts. He hasn't talked about the break up to anyone besides Nico, and its surprisingly hard. He thought it would be easier, but he feels his stomach clenching and the nervous sweat prickling the back of his neck. He feels a little like he's the one under the magnifying glass. 

"And really, what we had wasn't good, Percy."

If Percy's surprised, he doesn't show it. He just stays quiet, letting Jason find his way through what he wants to say.

"I just wanted it to work because… I don't know. I didn't want to let her down. But the thing was: our relationship was based on false memories from Hera. I think we ignored it because we wanted to feel normal. We wanted to feel like the end of the world wasn't on our shoulders again." Jason stops when Percy huffs out a breath, but when he doesn't say anything, Jason continues. "But then everything went back to normal -- or well, normal enough -- and it just wasn't the same. We didn't have anything between us that was real, you know? I think we knew that and didn't want to admit to it which is why it dragged on for so long." 

Jason gives Percy a weak smile, because this is more that he ever intended to get into. "Anyway," he continues, "she Iris messaged me one day and she said: 'Jason I think it's time we finally break up'. Just like that."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. I mean… it was through an Iris message -- not that she had another choice. She was with her father on location for shoot and she was calling from the hotel. I was upset with her for a long time for it but…" He shrugs. "Now I'm kind of glad she did it like that."

"You are?"

"Yeah. I know that's weird, and like I said I was upset with her for a long time because breaking up through Iris Message is basically the same as breaking up over the phone, but it needed to happen. Instead of letting me drag it out she did what I couldn't and ended it."

Percy nods once, and then nods again. "I think that's what happened with us -- not the Iris message -- we were..." He presses his lips into a tight, thin line. "It wasn't… we weren't fighting when we broke up we were actually trying to watch a movie together."

"Is the key word 'trying'?" Jason asks a little jokingly. It feels out of place but it's not like Percy to be so serious and he hopes this lightens the mood.

Percy huffs out another half-hearted laugh and rolls his eyes. "Yeah." He rubs the back of his neck. "We'd been sitting on the couch and I had my arm around her…" Again, Percy pauses, this time to grin to himself at an old memory, but then he frowns. "But it wasn't like how it used to be. We were both distracted and it wasn't comfortable and at some point we turned to look at each other -- not even like we were moving to kiss or anything -- we just looked at each other and without thinking I said: 'are you thinking what I'm thinking?' and she said: 'I don't want to be but I think so'."

"And?"

"And what, Jason?" Percy asks throwing his hands up. "And now I'm here in my clothes from yesterday and it feels like I'm missing an organ! She's apart of me."

"Like your heart?"

Percy shakes his head, his voice quiets, and he sinks back into the couch. "No, like my spleen."

"Your _spleen?"_

"Yeah. I mean I probably need it but it's not like I'm missing my heart or stomach." Percy lets out a frustrated sigh. "But that's what's bothering me. She's _Annabeth_ , Jason. We went through _Tartarus_ together! Shouldn't this have been harder to do? Shouldn't I be feeling like I've lost something more, I dunno, significant?"

Jason has to hold back the laugh building in his chest. It's inappropriate, he knows, but he can't help it. Because _of course_ Percy would think of it as losing his stomach. Percy will be Percy through and through.

"Maybe it just hasn't really sunk in yet?" Jason suggests. "It's only been a couple of days."

Percy shrugs. "Maybe. I just…" He shifts uncomfortably before repeating what Annabeth had said to him: "' _I don't want to be but I think so'_ she said! I could have been talking about how the movie sucked or -- or something! But I wasn't and we both knew it. We both didn't want it and yet sitting there looking at her I could just feel that it was over."

"Did you, you know, actually say it?"

Percy presses the heels of his palms to his eyes like he's tired. "Yeah. Yeah, we did. I tried to say something but, you know Annabeth. She said: 'you know I love you, right?' and I said: 'yeah. I love you too.' Then she smiled and kissed me -- for the last time, I guess -- and --" He blows out a frustrated sigh. "Maybe we just wanted something normal too."

Jason gives him a tight lipped smile. "Maybe."

"I don't know, Jason. I don't know. I just--"

"--Percy," Jason cuts in, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I understand." 

It isn't that he doesn't want to hear what Percy has to say, it's that Jason knows they're starting to get to that place Jason has no place being. He will listen if Percy wants him to, in time, but right now this is where it falls apart into he said, she said. This is where it becomes messy and ugly and there will be a time this will be helpful, but not now. Not when it's still a wound raw and exposed.

Jason pauses, and then goes: "She talked to me a bit about it awhile back."

"She did?" Percy asks looking at Jason, and there's something there in his eyes. There's sadness, fear, and just the tinniest bit of hope that hurts to look at. 

Jason nods. "She did." For a split second Jason thinks of Nico. Something tightens in his stomach uncomfortably, but he tells Percy of that day in the food court anyway, that day Annabeth told Jason she wanted to fix whatever was broken between them but didn't know how. "She does love you," he finishes.

For a second Percy just looks at him, his face unreadable. "I love her, too," he says finally.

"I know you do."

Percy looks away then, without saying anything. He just lets the couch attempt to swallow him and Jason lets the silence persist. Percy doesn't look like he's going to come out of the spot he's found for himself inside his head any time soon and Jason isn't sure that he wants to bring him out. To busy himself Jason gets up and throws another mindless movie in that neither of them have to pay much attention to. Neither of them speak throughout the movie.

The movie ends and somehow Jason gets Percy to play some games with him. Jason goes a little easy on Percy but not so easy that he'll think Jason's throwing the game because breakup or not Percy's come to life a little at the prospect of some friendly competition. But it isn't long before Jason notices Percy retreating back into his thoughts. Percy falls silent, no longer wanting to engage in any back and forth banter, and his brow comes down contemplatively and his jaw tightens, so when he can, Jason makes some excuse to end the game.

Day blends into night and nothing much changes. Percy stays quiet and Jason doesn't push. Instead he suggests movies to watch after each one ends, and when it comes time to eat Jason calls for some pizza delivery. It arrives quickly enough and though Percy takes two slices he doesn't even make it through half a slice before he sets the plate down and lets the pizza grow cold.

Jason doesn't mind the silence. Its surprisingly comfortable and it isn't stretched tight. He also doesn't mind the fact that they've watched enough movies to turn both their brains to mush. He just wishes there was more he could say to help, but it's tough when the breakup is like this; like his and Piper's. It would be one thing if they could be angry and hate each other, if they could yell and scream but that's not how this is going to work. They're too important to each other and have too much respect for each other to have it end like that. 

"Hey, Jason?" Percy says so quietly Jason almost doesn't hear him.

"Yeah, Percy?"

"Thanks for coming over."

Jason lets a smile tug at his mouth. "Of course."

* * *

Jason doesn't get home until late. He'd tried to tell Percy he could stay all night, that it was no big deal, but Percy only shook his head and thanked Jason again for coming over. Jason would have forced the issue more if Percy hadn't stood there actually looking better than he did when Jason first arrived.

When Jason arrives home and closes the door behind him he's surprised at how drastically different the atmosphere is here. The place Percy's staying felt cold and uninviting, but here Jason feels nothing but welcoming warmth and familiarity. He finds himself looking around the apartment taking note of all the things that make it feel like home like the weirdly placed linen closet, and the too small kitchen.

Then, with slow building affection, Jason notices Nico curled up asleep on their second-hand couch with the rip on the right arm. The TV plays the end of some show quietly -- not the soap opera thankfully -- and there's plate with half a slice of toast left sitting on the coffee table. Jason turns off the TV and puts the plate in the sink to with plans to clean it in the morning. It takes more restraint than it really should to keep himself from attempting to scoop Nico up into his arms and carry him to bed. Jason opts instead to drape a blanket over Nico. 

He's got the blanket half way out of the linen closet when Nico suddenly wakes. 

"Jason?" he breathes sleepily sitting up but facing the wrong direction.

"I'm here," Jason replies quietly, telling himself that his heart is most definitely _not_ fluttering in his chest because the first thing Nico thinks of when he wakes his him. He ignores the part of him thats trying to remind him that of course Nico would think about him waking up like this. They live together, after all.

"S'late," Nico mumbles rubbing his eyes. 

"It is," Jason agrees. "You should go to bed." He turns to stuff the blanket back into the closet, hoping Nico doesn't notice the expression that's probably more fond than he thinks it is written all over his face.

Nico stubbornly shakes his head. "No."

"Nico."

"Mom," Nico says deadpan, but with a hint of mirth in his sleepy eyes. "How are you? I haven't seen you in a while."

Jason sits himself down beside Nico and tells himself he didn't hear an undertone of _I missed you_ in Nico's voice. "I'm alright. What about you?"

Nico shrugs noncommittally. "Well enough. Where were you today?"

"I was at Percy's," he says, being careful to choose his words wisely. He won't ever lie to Nico. All the trust that Jason's built with him would crumble in an instant if he did. Yet, at the same time he can't just hand out what Percy told him like it's an information brochure; if Percy wants to tell Nico then he will.

Nico tenses, suddenly wide awake. "Yeah?"

"I talked to him about his breakup."

"How is he?" Nico asks, his voice a controlled calm.

"Like you said, Nico. He's hurting." Jason rubs at the back of his neck. "He broke up with _Annabeth_ \--"

"I already know all about Annabeth," Nico says bitterly, crossing his arms.

Jason presses his lips together in a thin line before saying again, "He's hurting pretty bad. He told me what happened, and I told him I talked to Annabeth --"

"-- You talked to Annabeth too?" Nico asks more sharply than Jason knows he means to. He knows Nico isn't mad that Jason's talked to the two of them about their relationship, he's just upset because they were the Golden Couple of camp. It was always supposed to be Percy _and_ Annabeth.

"Yeah, that day we ran into them at the mall."

Nico's mouth twists into a frown but he stays silent.

"Anyway, I told him her thoughts about it and…" he trails off for a second. Nico had told Jason he thought Percy looked like he was breathing easier, and Jason had thought that himself when he'd left, but the fact remains that after Jason told Percy about Annabeth he looked _hopeful_ , like he thought maybe they'd get back together. Nico needs to know that. "Well, Nico… I think Percy might be thinking that he and Annbeth will ge--"

"--Never mind. Forget I asked. I don't want to know," Nico says harshly, cutting Jason off for the third time; his frown now sharp and deep. It's a cliché but it gives new meaning to if looks could kill. Nico turns away from Jason, looking more pale than usual, and fixes his eyes on the TV as he pulls his knees up to his skinny chest. Jason can feel the discomfort rolling off Nico in waves. He doesn't doubt that if they had a plant nearby that it would have wilted and turned to dust.

Jason stays on the couch beside Nico. He knows that this time Nico's outburst is because as much as he thinks its supposed to be Percy and Annabeth, he also wants it to be _him_ and Percy. 

Which, if he's behind honest, doesn't settle well with him, because there was hope in Percy's eyes when Jason had brought up Annabeth. It doesn't settle well with him because when he looks at Nico he starts wondering what it would be like to taste the capped curve of Nico's lip against his own. He starts thinking about what it would be like to tangle his fingers in Nico's dark curls. He starts thinking about a lot of things he really shouldn't be, and this situation isn't about him in the slightest. He's just playing the part of good friend. It might put him in an awkward spot, but he's fine with it. His friends need him, and Jason just can't let them down.

In the silence Jason finds himself thinking about what Percy said: _I love her_. Somehow the fact that he said it about Annabeth both surprises him and doesn't. If Percy had said it about anyone but Annabeth, Jason would have asked him where Percy went. But this is Annabeth. Of course he loves her. Of course. Then there's Nico; a part of the math equation that is Percy and Annabeth in the way that there are unknowns in algebra and remainders in division. They are as much a part of the equation as they are outside it. Percy and Annabeth don't know that, but Jason does.

Nico, the invisible necessity, without whom nothing would get done. Nico, the easily forgotten and thrown away.

Nico stays quiet for a long time, his cheek resting on top of his knees as he runs his fingers back and forth over the couch's arm for something to do. He sniffs once, and Jason wonders if Nico's actually upset enough by this to cry. He's only seen Nico cry once. It had been when Nico told him about his sister. That thought alone strikes a chord in Jason and makes something acidic settle in his stomach, because just how much must Nico like Percy?

"Percy," Nico starts. He pauses. Then, tries again: "Percy's probably going to tell me all about it." His voice sounds surprisingly even. "I know that their breakup doesn't affect me, I know that. And I know its stupid that I'm all worked up about it, too."

"It's not stupid…"

"It is!" Nico fires back, fixing Jason with a look. He isn't crying like Jason worried he might be, but all the fury and hurt across his features might be even worse than if there were tears. "He's hurting and needs a friend, and here I sit thinking that maybe he'll pay attention to me now! What kind of bullshit is that?"

"Nico--"

"It's such bullshit, Jason! I told you last night that I knew this was stupid of me, I'm telling you now I know it's stupid, but here I sit still twisted in knots." Nico takes a breath and then keeps going, "If Percy does decide to tell me more about what happened, what am I going to do? If I can't handle hearing it from you, how can I handle hearing it from _him?"_

"Because you're a good person," Jason says, effectively stopping Nico in his tracks. Jason takes advantage of Nico's surprise and of how his mouth sort of just clicks shut to keep talking. "Percy is… important to you," Jason says, trying to avoid touching too sensitive. "You've always been there for people; doing things for them, and for Percy too. I know you'll do the right thing when he tells you. "

"How can you be so sure?" Nico asks, his eyebrows drawn down in that way that means he's still throughly unconvinced. "I tricked Percy when I told him how to gain invincibility didn't I?"

Jason shrugs. There's more to it than that and they both know it, but it wouldn't be helpful to start splitting hairs right now. "Yeah. But you also got him through -- through _that place_ didn't you? You volunteered to move the Athena Parthanos half way around the world."

"That wasn't anything special though," Nico mutters. "This is different. I don't know what to do or to tell him now."

"You don't have to know anything, Nico. You just have to be there and be his friend." Jason grins. "Just be yourself."

"You sound like a greeting card."

"Well, whatever works."

Nico picks at his jeans. There's a long silence that Jason has just come to expect from today before Nico asks, "Am I a bad person, Jason?"

"What? No! Nico, I just finished saying you aren't," Jason says with more force than he meant to have, which makes Nico look at him. And Nico really looks at him in a way that reminds Jason of that day in Croatia. That day Jason learned more about Nico than he had any right to know. "Nico," he says more gently this time. "You're a good person."

"I don't feel like I am."

"You are," Jason says, understanding. "You want to support Percy don't you?" When Nico shrugs, Jason keeps going. "As much as this breakup bothers you, the things that wins out is that you're concerned that he's hurting, right?"

"…Yeah."

"Then that right there shows you're a good person."

"But what about the part where I _do_ want him to pay attention to me?"

"You're not going to sit down with him and start making moves, are you?"

"Of course not," Nico says shooting another glare at Jason. "He just got out of a relationship!" The realization of what he's just said hits Nico all at once. His features soften and Jason gives Nico a look that is more _I told you so_ than he intends for it to be. 

Nico chews on the inside of his cheek, looking guilty. "Sorry, Jason. I just… He's probably not even into --" he stops himself there.

"It's alright. I get it," Jason says honestly. This is Percy. It says something, he thinks, that a thought like that could just explain it all. _It's Percy_.

But then the weight of that fact hits Jason like a bag of bricks. It's Percy, and when it comes to Percy, Nico's emotions spark and light fire. The chemical reaction that results is volatile: too bright to look at one second, and in the next extinguished. Yet still burns hot and moves slow like pooling lava. If Percy wanted to he could consume it all. If Percy wanted to he could wash over Nico and pull him in, and the thing about that is: Nico would let him.

If Percy is the endless, ever changing ocean that pushes and pulls, then Nico is but the fast sinking anchor.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *summer starts*  
> me: ok self you have time now. write ur fic.  
> also me: ヽ༼ ຈل͜ຈ༽ﾉ
> 
> Honestly, I have no excuse for why this took so long. But thank you so much to those who are sticking around!!! 8)
> 
> Talk to me on [Tumblr](http://serketchaos.tumblr.com)


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